So I am headed into the grocery store without a list or a plan, just thinking I’ll figure out our week’s menu as inspiration hits as I stroll the aisles. And then I see the recipe of the day on Food Network.com and I decide on the spot that is what we will be eating that night. And the next night, it turns out, because Molly Yeh’s Taco HotDish is even tastier the next day when everything has had a chance to meld. As you can see from the oh so short instructions, it is a great weeknight meal. A little chopping and prep, then you throw everything in together. I did not even follow the recipe direction to transfer it into a casserole dish, but instead just cooked it in the same cast-iron pan where I had browned the beef with the onions and peppers.
My only other tweaks to it were sour cream and avocado and I made some rice to put on the bottom of th bowl before spooning the taco mishmash on top. I will definitely be making this again when the girls come home, although I will need to use ground turkey or chicken since Hannah does not eat beef.
Taco HotDish
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
Kosher salt
One 1-ounce packet taco seasoning
2 pounds ground beef
One 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
9 ounces corn kernels (frozen, canned or fresh)
3 cups mild salsa
One 9-ounce bag corn chips, such as Fritos
5 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Sliced radishes, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Salsa verde, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, jalapeno, onion and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and cook for another minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the beans, corn and mild salsa. Transfer to a casserole dish and cover with the corn chips.
Bake until the casserole is heated through and the corn chips are lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Top with the queso fresco, cilantro, radishes and a squeeze of lime. Serve with salsa verde.