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.

Skillet Mexican Brown Rice Meal ala ~DKBB~

Skillet Mexican Brown Rice Meal ala ~DKBB~

(original recipe from www.cooknourishbliss.com)

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper (or Anaheim pepper), chopped

2 to 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced

1½ cups frozen corn

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. smoked paprika

Pinch of cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup quick cook brown rice*

1 (14 oz.) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained well

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 ½ cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 to 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

Chopped fresh cilantro (if desired)

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; when hot, add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion starts to soften.
• Add in peppers, corn, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne; cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are all tender.
• Add in tomato paste and rice; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add in drained tomatoes, black beans, and veggie broth; stir well, then bring to a boil.
• Once boil is achieved, turn down the heat, cover, and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until almost all of the broth has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender.
• Remove cover and sprinkle cheese over the top; re-cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can garnish each serving with chopped fresh cilantro if desired.

* You can use any rice you desire, just adjust cooking time per instructions on rice package.