Food Love: Beef Enchilada Casserole

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Beef Enchilada Casserole

A couple of you have seen this already, but I thought I would post it here for everyone else! Besides, it's what is cookin' tonight!

Beef Enchilada Casserole
This is super fast (15-20 minutes!) and cooks in the microwave! Works great to double or triple it and make it a freezer meal for the future, or to give to another family. I served this when we had friends over one night and they flipped!! Mitch loves this one and requests it almost weekly! It is a Pampered Chef recipe that is modified a little.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbs. Taco Seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can enchilada sauce (mild)
3/4 C. water
1/2 C. thick and chunky salsa (I use mild Pace Picante sauce since I buy it in the big, huge container!!)
12 corn tortillas
1/4 C. snipped fresh cilantro (this is key!!)
1 cup shredded Cheddar

Combine beef, taco seasoning and salt in skillet until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Drain fat. Add enchilada sauce, water and salsa to skillet. Bring to simmer and remove from heat.

As beef mixture cooks, place tortillas in a stack and cut into 1 inch strips (I use my pizza cutter). Snip cilantro with kitchen scissors.

Arrange 1/2 of the tortillas evenly over the bottom of a 9x9 (or large, if it will fit in your microwave) dish. Top with 1/2 of the beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Sprinkle 2 Tbs. cilantro over cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, beef mixture and cheese. (Yes, it looks soupy.)

Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve with sour cream.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: This dish is quick, easy, and very, very good!!! I've also made it with leftover turkey pieces -- delicious!!; 7:16 AM

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About the cooks

Alysun: I learned to cook while in Africa 4 years ago when I was forced to cook from scratch. I didn't have a clue away from the comforts of my culture's ready-made food selections. Now, as a mother to 2 small girls, and a wife to a hungry farmer, I love to cook good, healthy food for my family.

Andrea: I have always loved to bake, cookies especially, but cooking was never "my thing." I had my husband convinced I couldn't do much besides boil water for the first year of our marriage. But my husband likes food and he like variety. PB and J and Top Ramen didn't cut the mustard. So I broke out the cook books and figured out it's not so bad. I enjoy cooking now and look forward to trying new recipes. Cookies are still my favorite.

Annie: My food loves are pies, casseroles, birthday cakes, and holiday food! As a single woman I knew only of toaster waffles and sandwiches. When I got married I discovered that not only did I like to cook, I wasn't too bad at it either. I live in Portland Oregon with my husband and one year old son. In a former life I was a kindergarten teacher.

Jeana: I'm just recently discovering how much fun cooking can be. Dinner time used to always feel like a chore and I felt limited by my family's meager food budget. By getting organized, menu planning, and learning fool-proof recipes from other moms I am experiencing a whole new way to be creative.

Kelleigh: As the second oldest of 10 children, I was forced into cooking for an army at a young age. Fortunately, I "studied" under my father, the man who throws in "a little of this and a little of that", so I'm not really afraid to experiment and modify when needed. I am now cooking for my own little, tiny family (there are only 4 of us!) and REALLY enjoy being able to cook better food on a smaller scale. I'm always on the look-out for recipes that have a gourmet taste without the outlandish ingredients or price.

Lindsay: Growing up I loved to bake and my mom's only rule was, "as long as you do the dishes". When I got married, my sister-in-law made me a recipe book of all the Button family favorite recipes and it became one of my most used tools in learning to cook for my husband. Today, I'm an avid meal planner, and find cooking for my family of 5 fun and gratifying (most of the time!) And my husband and I have worked out a sweet deal: I cook, he does the dishes!