Cheesy Beef Potpie

I admit it, I love Rachael Ray. Well at least I love her recipes...her personality at times I find a bit too self-deprecating even for my taste. This recipe is an adaptation of her Beef and Cheddar Potpie with healthier ingredients. I like this because it you can make it and then freeze it for up to 4 months. Just cover it with plastic wrap and freeze. Then to reheat discard the plastic wrap, cover the potpie with foil and bake at 375 for 1 hour; uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Here come da recipe:

4 servings (umm more like 6 servings)
Prep Time: 40 min
Bake Time: 35 min


6 tablespoons margarine (low cal), chilled
1 small onion, chopped (pretty fine, nobody like a big chunk of onion)
1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 28 -oz can diced tomatoes; drained
1 cup low sodium beef broth
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups shredded cheese (RR recommended sharp cheddar, I used Pizza blend)
1/2 cup skim milk

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8-by-12 inch baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons margarine over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and beef broth and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 20 minutes. Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, blend in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the cheese until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the milk and stir quickly with a fork to form a dry, shaggy dough. Gather the dough together and knead lightly in the bowl. Transfer to a floured work surface and roll or pat into a large, 1/2-inch-thick round. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cut out 8 biscuits (as you can see, I got a few more). Gather the scraps of dough, form into a new round and cut out more biscuits. Continue until all the dough has been used up.

3. Place the biscuits on top of the beef mixture as close together as possible and bake until lightly browned, about 35 minutes.