Hamburger Tortilla Casserole

Crocheted Rabbit Hat by frances robson

Good evening and come on in the house and sit awhile. We have had a beautiful and sunny weekend and warmer and that is what is great, it was warmer. It got me to thinking about planting a garden and since we are getting a little older we decided to go with some raised beds. That way I can sit on my little rolling stool and just roll around it and grow my vegetables.

I don't want to plant much but I have to have my tomatoes, cucumbers, squash,bell peppers and green beans for it wouldn't be summer without fresh vegetables you grow yourself. I'm also the daughter of Ott Polk and when it gets warm you have to start playing in the dirt with some seed and fertilizer and growing something. I think it runs in the family.

From mama I got my love for cooking and I think the 2 definitely go together for it tastes so much better with vegetables you grew with your own 2 hands. I will put some pictures of our progress in my posts as we put it together and begin planting for it is about time to plant some turnips and lettuce.

I fixed a really good casserole this weekend and want to share it with you. I am still trying to use what is in the freezer and pantry but make it taste delicious. Saturday I had hamburger meat and flour and corn tortillas I needed to use. I put these ingredients in a Google search and found several recipes but nothing that really sounded good so I put about 3 together with my own touches and it is good. Roy said it was a winner and good enough to share. I call it Hamburger Tortilla Casserole and it is good the first time and we found today it is good reheated. I plan to freeze some and I am pretty sure it will freeze well for all the ingredients freeze without problems.


HAMBURGER TORTILLA CASSEROLE

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb hamburger - lean like ground chuck or ground round
2 tsp. Smokey paprika
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2 chopped onion
salt an pepper to taste
2 cups shredded Jack Cheese
6 corn tortillas – cut into wide strips
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups niblet corn (I used frozen which had been microwaved for about 2 minutes and fresh would be delicious
1 small jar chopped pimento (drained)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes
Optional: if you like it hotter add some red pepper flakes or some chopped green chillies.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 12 pan.

Cook the hamburger with the oil and add paprika, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Add onions last few minutes so they will be slightly cooked. Cover and set aside. Mix the two cans of rinsed and drained black beans, pimento and corn together. Add a little salt and pepper but not a lot for the soup and the cheese are salty but without a little salt, it is bland.

Mix the can of Rotel with the cream of chicken soup.
Cut the tortillas in wide strips.
Layer the pan in the following order:
bean and corn mixture
hamburger
1/2 of the cheese
tortillas

Repeat layering until all ingredients are used. Pour the Rotel/mushroom soup mixture on top of the last layer of tortillas.
Bake for 30 minutes.

I didn't have a can of niblet corn but had several ears of corn I had frozen so I took them out of the freezer and microwaved them for about 3 minutes. I wanted them thawed and cooked slightly but still crispy and fresh. Cut the corn off the cobs and mix with the black beans. Fresh corn cut from the cob would be really good also and 2 large ears will give you plenty. I used the corn tortillas instead of the flour to add another layer of corn flavor and it was the right choice.

Can prepare 2 small ones instead of 1 large one and freeze one for later.
Try it and give me some feedback or comments and let me know what you think.

The picture at the top is one of my crochet projects this week and I think it is pretty cute. I am selling these at a local children's shop and of course I have to do one our great granddaughter.

Well, ya'll come back to see me and be careful going home and enjoy the coming week for it is supposed to be sunny most of the week so we can put our garden together and get ready to plant.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach