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We have two weeks of the new school year behind us already and I’m in full “back to school” mode with our schedule! I’m searching Pinterest for easy week-night dinner ideas that are quick to put together and the kids will love. I like casserole dishes because they take a few ingredients and stretch them to create a meal that will satisfy the whole family. I found several recipes that sparked my own creativity and helped me come up with this Cheesy Tex-Mex Casserole.
We really owe Wisconsin a debt of gratitude. 🙂 Nothing makes a casserole dish better than lots of delicious cheese! Crystal Farms cheese is a delicious way to get loads of calcium and make dishes like this Tex-Mex Casserole just that much better. It’s gluten-free and Crystal Farms brand is lactose tolerant. Hail to the cheese! (If you can’t tell, I really REALLY like cheese.) 🙂
Cheesy Tex-Mex Casserole
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 jar about 15 oz thick and chunky salsa
- 1 can 11 oz Mexicorn (it's a mix of corn, red and green bell peppers)
- 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 6 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Crystal Farms cheddar cheese
- Sliced olives optional
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain.
- Add in salsa, corn and all but a few olives (I left my olives out and just added them on top of half of the casserole, since I'm the only sane person in the family who loves olives!) Simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the cottage cheese and sour cream together until blended.
- In a 2 quart casserole dish, place 3 corn tortillas. I had two next to each other and then split the third one in half to fill in the empty room on the sides.
- Top with 1/2 of the meat mixture.
- Cover the meat mixture with 1/2 of the black beans.
- Spoon the cottage cheese mixture over the black beans.
- Sprinkle about 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the beans.
- Repeat the layers, ending with the cottage cheese layer.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and olive slices. Return to oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- If desired, garnish with cilantro (YUM) and add tortilla chips around the edges. Just because it's pretty. 🙂
Serve with tortillas chips and a salad for a great weeknight meal! I love that you can make this with just 1/2 pound of ground beef. I think that next time I make it, I may just leave out the corn tortillas as well. The black beans serve as a great divider between layers. It’s totally up to you-if you like enchiladas and corn tortillas, you can leave then in. If not, just skip that layer! This recipe is economical, satisfying and full of good, whole foods that will keep everyone happy!
For more great cheesy recipes, check out Crystal Farms favorites and follow Crystal Farms on Facebook or Crystal Farms on Pinterest!
To help you make your own amazing casseroles, I’m giving away a beautiful Le Creuset pan, thanks to Crystal Farms! Enter below for your chance to win this beauty!
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Alison @ Tickling the Wheat says
Yum! That would be an easy dish to take to a party. I have a 13×9 crock pot that would be perfect to use to keep it warm.
Rachael says
That dish is gorgeous! And the casserole looks yummy too.
carol clark says
My favorite is Chicken and rice Casserole
Shirley says
We just had our favorite casserole dish tonight! My grandma always called it Chile Chicken, it’s amazing!
Sarah says
My mom made this really simple, really yummy chicken casserole.
Sheri says
tuna casserole
Jamie @ Coffee With Us 3 says
I’ve got a creamy green chile chicken enchilada casserole that is so delicious! But basically I love casserole in general.
Nicky @ Little Family Adventure says
I don’t many casseroles, but macaroni and cheese is baked in the oven. It’s loaded with cheese and is really good.