Ugly pie

Reader, I made an ugly pie.  Tasty as all get-out, but indisputably ugly.  You know: the kind that causes your colleagues to exclaim “What’s that?” when you pull it out for lunch–and not in a good way?

Baby portabella + butternut squash pie

• 1 pie crust (yours or Pilsbury’s; I’m not going to judge)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1lb baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 butternut squash, microwaved (like this) and disemboweled
• 1 14oz can roasted, diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon chipotle pepper (or more, if you’re like me and like FIRE)
• salt to taste
• a toss of shredded cheese

1. Sautee the onion, garlic, and mushrooms for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the squash innards, tomatoes, salt, and chipotle pepper; stir well to combine.
3. Pour the vegetable mixture into the pie crust, throw some cheese on top, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F.

So, there you have it: my delicious, homely pie.  But what’s missing?  Perhaps a sturdy leafy vegetable to add a pop of color?  Or maybe a coarsely chopped fennel bulb for some texture contrast?  Or should it all just go straight into the Bass-O-Matic?