Hello everyone! I’ve been running around a little bit lately so I haven’t had a chance to do a post, but this post is perfect for those who are short on time but still need to cook for their family. I’m talking about the casserole. There are so many dishes that can be made from this simple form of cooking. The term came from the French word cassa pan. It usually means a deep pan that you cook and serve in. Meats and a starch are stables in the casserole, though you can make vegetables and even desserts that could be called a casserole. After my trip to the South I’m convinced there’s no end to the versatility of the casserole. Your imagination is the only limit, that and making up a concoction that tastes good! In Tennessee I saw five different styles of the same chicken casserole. It was chicken with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and dressing on the top sometimes with gravy poured over it or mashed potatoes and gravy on the top. The point being you can make a meal in one pan serving protein, starch and vegetables all at once. Another advantage to the casserole is, it’s super fast to make and reheats well. Today I’m going to give you my recipe for a Cheeseburger casserole. After making it there were a few things I would have changed and I’ll share them with you in a little. The first thing I did was brown the hamburger with an onion and garlic. I wanted potatoes to be in the recipe as a starch to hold things together but also to mimic having a cheeseburger and fries. This step makes the casserole take a little longer to make but I think it’s worth it, I sliced the potatoes and fried them to give them a crunch.
The casserole also needs moisture in the middle because the starch tends to absorb much of what’s in the meat and vegetables. I thought I could get by with adding shredded cheese but looking back next time I’d make a cheese sauce instead, melting some cheese and milk together maybe with a little rue in it. I just had a great idea I’d use the Ro-tel and Velvetta recipe to give it a Southwestern twist. Find the recipe here. That cheese sauce will really make a difference. Let’s get to the recipe.
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef , browned
- 4 cups sliced potatoes pan fried with salt and pepper and a little of the chopped onion.
- 1-2 yellow onions chopped and sautéed with the ground beef.
- 3 gloves of Garlic chopped and sautéed with the ground beef.
- 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilis ( Ro-Tel) or similar
- 1 jalapeño, (optional)
- 3-4 cups shredded cheese of choice
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- Brown the ground beef then add the onions and garlic. Add the can of tomatoes. Simmer for 15 min.
- Pan fry the potatoes with a little onion and salt and pepper until brown and crispy.
- Lay down a layer of potatoes in a 9 x 13 baking pan or a casserole pan.
- Spread a layer of the meat mixture over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the meat mixture.
- Repeat the steps above making sure to end with a nice layer of cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and cook for about 45 minutes, uncover and cook for additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned and the whole mixture is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with ketchup or whatever you like on your cheeseburgers.
After giving this dish a try I knew there was something missing. It was ok but it did need a sauce type substance in the middle and I’m sure adding a cheese sauce would make the dish much better. I finally figured out the missing ingredient was pickles. I know this sounds a little odd but I love a good dill pickle on my cheeseburgers. I tried it out and sure enough the addition of pickles rounded out the flavors and made the dish just what I was looking for. In some ways it reminded me of a German Rouladen a dish made with rolled steak with pickles inside and served with a delicious gravy. Next time I make this dish I will include the pickles in the layering process.
I know the casserole has lost popularity over the years but it’s history goes back hundreds of years. If you’re looking for a quick meal that can have all the things you want to feed your family, why not give the casserole another try? I’ve even seen a sweet roll casserole that I might try making. One of the easiest casseroles I’ve seen made uses leftover rotisserie chicken , frozen mixed vegetables a can or two of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup and top it off with stovetop dressing, pop it in the oven for an hour and you got dinner. Does your family have a casserole recipe you’d like to share? There’s always one in every family, so drop us a line and let’s share a family recipe or two. As always if you have any questions or comments please put them in the box below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Until next time Boone Appétit!
