Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole

I realize that everyone who reads this post cooks.  Otherwise, you would be reading something else.  I don't mean to insult anyone's skills or intelligence, but I am surprised and alarmed by the number of people of my acquintance who have troubles putting dinner on the table everynight without frozen entres and box mixes.  Most of us do not have the time for the pot roast or meat loaves popular in our mother's and grandmother's times on weeknights.  This is my thing.  Making sure that everyone around me, boys and girls, can make basic real food.  So here goes, another dinner for weeknights that comes out of the pantry and freezer with minimum time and effort but is flavorful and interesting enough to make them hurry to the table.

Each of the ingredients of this dish should already be in your pantry, frig, or freezer, hamburger in your freezer, tortillas, cheese and sour cream in your fridge, spices, salsa, corn in your pantry.  The next entry of this blog uses hamburger, sour cream, spices and cheese in a whole new direction.  A fully stocked pantry can make a million dishes, or at least quite a few.  Not expensive, quick, not hard. 

When I can cook for fun, I make what I want.  Tonight, the sooner I'm done the sooner I can knit and watch the news.

Beef Enchilada Casserole

1 lb ground beef,

2 t. mince dried onion.
1 t. salt
1 T. Chili powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 c. water
 4 8" corn tortillsa
1 1/4 cup salsa
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 can corn, drained
1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese grated.

In a large skillet, cook beef and drain any fat or liquid.  Add onion , salt, chili powder and garlic powder.  Mix and heat through. 

Add water and simmer for 3 - 5 minutes until liquid reduces and flavors combine. 

Meanwhile, slice tortilla into strips similar to lasagna noodles.  Set out salsa and sour cream.  Drain corn and grated cheese.

To assemble, spray 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread 3/4 c. meat on bottom of pan.  Add a layer of tortillas, 

then 1/2 can of drained corn.  Add 1/4 c. salsa, 1/2 c. meat and 1/2 c cheese, 1/2 sour cream.

Another layer of tortillas.  The other 1/2 can of corn.  1/2 c. salsa, 1/2 salsa, and a layer of the rest of the tortillas.  The rest of the meat, 1/4 c. cheese, 1/2 c. sour cream, cheese and 1/2 salsa. 

Bake at 350 degress for 25 minutes.  Husband says it would be good if served in a restaurant.  Son says it smells good.  Add a cooked vegetable.  What more do you want?

If you have left overs, package them up in lunch boxes where microwaves are available.