Beefy Nacho Cassrole ala ~DKBB~

Beefy Mexican Casserole ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen)

1 bag tortilla chips or Fritos -OR- substitute with a masa harnia crust*

½ c. butter, melted

1 medium onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1 lb. lean ground beef

½ to 1 can black beans, drained

½ tsp. garlic salt

½ tsp. smoked paprika

1 to 2 tsp. cumin

1 to 2 tsp. turmeric

1 to 2 tsp. Mexican oregano

¼ to ½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 16 oz. jar salsa of choice

1 sm. can green chilis

1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

2 c. pepperjack cheese, shredded

1 2.2 oz can sliced or diced black olives, if desired

3 large green onions, thinly sliced

¼ c. chopped cilantro, if desired

Chips Crust

• Heat oven to 375° F.
• Place tortilla chips or Fritos in food processor and pulse into fine crumbs; pour in melted butter and continue to pulse until well combined.
• Press into bottom of 9x13 baking dish; bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown; set aside to cool a bit.

 *Masa Harnia Crust

½ c. butter, softened

⅓ c. masa harnia

¼ c. water

1½ c. frozen corn, thawed (I prefer petite white corn)

¼ cornmeal

⅓ c. sugar

2 Tbsp. whipping cream

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

• Heat oven to 350° F.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter until creamy; add masa harina and water; mix well; add frozen corn and mix well (if desired, you can run the corn through a food processor to grind it up a bit).
• In separate bowl combine cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder; add to corn/flour mixture and stir to combine.
• Press into a 9x13 baking dish; bake 15 minutes; set aside to cool a bit. 

Casserole

• In large skillet, brown the hamburger, adding in onion, peppers, and spices; cook, stirring to break up the hamburger into small clumps, until the peppers are soft and the meat is no longer pink; drain off excess fat.
• Pour the salsa into a large bowl, adding the black beans, green chilis, meat mixture, 1 c. of pepperjack cheese, ½ c. cheddar; mix well.
• Scrape entire mixture onto the cooked crust; sprinkle remaining cheeses over the top.
• Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes.
• Serve with green onions and cilantro for garnishment.