Crustless Tex-Mex Meatloaf Cheddar Pie

It's not a secret that my family loves food. We obsess about it, really. When we're enjoying one meal, we're talking about what's going to be prepared for the next. When we go on trips, the most important decision to make is where we're going to eat. When we go to a favorite restaurant, we order the same thing. Every. Time. It's bad! Real bad!

Not only do we get into the food itself, but we have heirloom serving dishes and real silverware bought from somewhere across seas way back when that we inherited from extended family who have passed on. This family has loved eating for many generations! (Okay, so we don't eat this fancy all the time, just for special occasions)

Needless to say, cooking is definitely a hobby of mine that I inherited from my dad. My grandmother can't quite figure it out since she spent a good portion of her life keeping busy with feeding 8 mouths, including herself. I'm thinking it's a generational thing since I have the luxury of being home, with one young child, and have time on my hands to prepare fresh, healthy meals. There are many more factors that would play into this, I know, but I grew up in a family where meals were fun to make and we have a great appreciation for all the creativity out there for it.

So, without further ado, here is a recipe I'd like to share. It's from "Everyday With Rachael Ray." Some folks have a love/hate relationship with her, I know. I'm not crazy about all her lingo, but I am crazy about her creativity, level of fresh ingredients, and overall really flavorful meals! I made this the other night and thought it was worthy of passing on.

16 oz jar of fired-roasted red peppers, drained split, and seeded
12 oz (3 cups) shredded Mexican cheese blend (I used the 4 cheese blend, without the seasoning)
1.5 lb ground lean beef
16 oz jar chunky salsa
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 10" pie pan with a light coat of olive oil and line with red peppers.
2. Scatter 1 cup of cheese on top.
3. In a bowl, mix 1 cup of cheese, beef, 3/4 cup salsa, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper until just combined.
4. Press into the pepper/cheese-lined pie plate. Spread the remaining salsa on top. Bake for 35 minutes.
5. Spread the rest of the cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes.
6. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

IT'S SO GOOD!!!

Side note: If you actually look this up online (www.everydaywithrachaelraymag.com), it tells you to bake it in less time. I think they made a mistake, because there is no way this would be fully cooked with the amount of time they tell you.