Family Foods

Tex-Mex Beef Chili Casserole

Makes 6 https://www.thriftyfoods.com/recipes/recipes/tex-mex-beef-chili-casserole

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. (375 grams) lean ground beef
• 1 (430 ml) jar mild or medium salsa
• 1 cup low sodium beef stock
• 1 (19 0z) can red kidney beans, drained well, rinsed in cold water, and drained well again
• 28-30 tortilla chips, coarsely crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or sliced green onion (optional)

Directions:

Place the beef in a pot set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is entirely cooked through. Drain away the excess fat, and then add salsa, stock and kidney beans. Bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spoon the mixture into a 9- x 13-inch or similar sized casserole. Sprinkle and spread the tortilla chips on top of the chili. Top the tortilla chips with the cheese. Bake the casserole 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the filling bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro or green onion, if using, and enjoy.

Recipe Options: Instead of beef, make this casserole with another type of ground meat, such as turkey or pork. Instead of cheddar, top the casserole with another type of cheese, such as Monterey jack or mozzarella. For added spice, before baking, sprinkle the top of the casserole with some finely chopped jalapeno pepper.

Serving Suggestions
Compliment this tasty casserole by serving it with a couple Tex-Mex side dishes from our collection, such as Spanish-style Rice, and Feed a Crowd Guacamole. The guacamole recipe makes 4 cups, but the ingredients could easily be halved.