Corn Tortilla Casserole

Serve this casserole along with a tossed salad. Have some taco or enchilada sauce at the table along with an assortment of optional condiments, like chopped jalapeño peppers, diced green onions, sour cream, and guacamole.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 cups refried beans
• Nonstick spray
• 9 corn tortillas
• 2 cups (8 ounces) Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Add the ground beef and onion to a nonstick skillet over medium heat; brown the hamburger for 15 minutes, until cooked through, breaking it apart and stirring it into the onions as you do so. Drain and discard any fat that is rendered from the ground beef.
2. Stir the garlic, taco seasoning, salt, black pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and refried beans into the ground beef and onions. Bring to a simmer, and, stirring occasionally, cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Treat the crock of the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Add enough of the beef and tomato sauce to the slow cooker to cover the bottom of the crock. Lay one of the corn tortillas over the beef and tomato sauce, and then ladle more of the sauce over the top; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Repeat until all of the corn tortillas, sauce, and Cheddar cheese are in the slow cooker, ending with a tortilla topped with sauce. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Cheese Warning

Some less expensive or store brands of Cheddar cheese contain a higher oil content and therefore tend to separate during the slow-cooking process. The only failed recipe test done for this cookbook was done using a store brand. After that, all recipes calling for Cheddar cheese were tested using Kraft mild or medium Cheddar.