Beefsteak Pie & Peanut Butter Cookies for My Granddaddy Clyde, January 4, 2015

Today, had leukemia not taken him from us in 2007, my granddaddy would have been 96 years old---and probably would still have loved peanut butter cookies. I think his favorite kinds were the fork cross-hatch sort, which my grandmommy made for him, and Nutter Butters. However, when Jeannene offered to make the Hershey Kiss sort, I happily took her up on it. I'd mentioned liking them & she said, "I'll make you some!" I'd planned to make peanut brittle, but this is perfect for Clyde. So, we have those for dessert. Jeannene used the recipe on the Kisses package, but you can find it on the Hershey website.

He loved his mom, Grandma Sadie's beefsteak pie and that was usually what he requested for his birthday dinner. I made it for him a couple years before he died, but usually my grandmom or auntie made it. However, I have the recipe, so now that he's dead, I make it every year on his birthday. It's delicious with mashed potatoes and corn.

Granddaddy Clyde's Beefsteak Pie

Crusts for double-crusted 9" pie

2 lb. boneless sirloin, fat trimmed, meat cut into cubes (I have used filet before and I think Grandma Sadie used round steak)

Flour

Salt & pepper

Butter (a tablespoon or two)

1/8-1/4 c. beer (do not use light beer; you can use water here, instead)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fit bottom crust into 9" pie plate and trim edges, as necessary. Dredge steak in flour. Season with salt & pepper. Brown in butter in skillet. Add beer/water to skillet and cook until a sauce forms on the steak cubes. Place in prepared pie shell. Top with second pie shell, seal, and crimp edges. Prick top with a fork (I like to make a heart, with my granddaddy's name inside) to vent. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then turn heat down to 350 degrees. Bake another 45 minutes. Allow to stand 10-15 minutes before cutting into the pie, to allow the juices to settle back into place. Serves 6-8.