Creamy Mexican Casserole

The sour cream red sauce really jazzes this dish up. Be sure to start the red sauce first so it can simmer for about 10 minutes before starting the ground beef filling. I also feel that the step which calls for letting the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving is essential.

This recipe is an amalgamation of many different recipes I have used to make Mexican casseroles in the past.

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
splash of milk (I used evaporated)
salt to taste
Red Sauce
12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips

Sour Cream Red Sauce
drizzle of olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, rubbed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, rubbed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup tomato sauce (I used pureed tomatoes)
1 cup beef broth
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add in oregano, chili powder, basil, cumin, tomato sauce and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove sauce from heat and stir in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan brown ground beef with onion, garlic, and green bell pepper until the beef is no longer pink; drain any fat then return to pan and add soup, milk and half of red sauce.

Bring the ground beef mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Check seasonings and add salt if needed.

Arrange 6 corn tortillas in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread half of meat mixture over the tortillas.

Add 1/2 of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layer twice ending with the rest of the red sauce and a final layer of cheese on top. Bake for about 20 minutes or til hot and bubbling.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Top with sour cream or crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Absolutely delicious!