It’s May 5 or Cinco de Mayo. Time to celebrate all the things we love about Mexico. I’ll start. Food! At our house, we could eat Mexican food about three times a week. This is the perfect time to bring out all those incredible flavors, together, in a casserole. If we are lucky, there might even be some leftovers to enjoy another night.
- Only about 1 in 10 people know that the holiday actually commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
- 59% of Americans will eat Mexican food
- 32% will have a margarita
- Parties will be hosted for friends and family, with the colors of the Mexican flag (red, white, and green) used in decorations. The celebrations are sometimes taken to the streets with large parades and special promotions on Mexican food.
Let’s get this party started with a beef taco casserole that’s easy to throw together and delicious!
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 Tbls. chopped garlic
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can southwestern style corn (a mix of corn, black beans, onions, and red bell peppers)
1 tsp. Southwest Chipotle seasoning
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese (shredded Colby Jack or Cheddar can be substituted)
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
*Desired toppings for serving may include salsa, chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
-In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium high heat. Cook until mostly done, about 4 to 5 minutes.
-Add chopped onion and chopped garlic. Cook about another 4 minutes.
-Drain any excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning, southwestern style corn, Rotel tomatoes, Chipotle seasoning, and tomato paste. Stir together until thoroughly mixed.
-Sprinkle half of crushed tortilla chips in bottom of 13″ x 9″ baking dish. Then top with half of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
-Transfer beef mixture from skillet and spread over chips and cheese.
-Top with remainder of crushed chips and shredded cheese.
-Bake approximately 25 minutes or until top layer of cheese is melted.
Serve with your favorite toppings. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
