Taco Casserole Ree Drummond Food

NACHO CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vegetable oil and flour. Cook, whisking, until it begins to bubble; let it bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, cumin and some salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer while you prepare the meat.
• For the meat: Brown the ground beef with the garlic and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the fat and stir in the cumin and salt to combine. Stir the meat into the simmering sauce and shut off the heat.
• For the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9-by-13-inch aluminum foil baking dish and one 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Break up the chips by crushing the bag slightly with your hands. Make sure not to over crush the chips; you're looking for pieces, not crumbs. Mix together the cheeses in a medium bowl.
• Divide a third of the broken chips between the prepared baking dishes. Top each with a quarter of the beef mixture and 2/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat, adding another layer of chips, beef mix and cheese to each. Finish by dividing the remaining chips between the baking dishes. Top each with 2/3 cup cheese.
• Cover the glass baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until bubbly, another 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the toppings: Top the cooked casserole with the shredded romaine, diced Roma tomatoes, sour cream and sliced black olives and green onions before serving.
• Allow the aluminum foil baking dish to cool completely while the other is baking. Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Transfer to the freezer.
• To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the baking dish and re-cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with another batch of the toppings.

RANCH CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the chicken: Put the chicken in a resealable bag. In a bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, crushed pepper, garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; pour over the chicken. Seal the bag and smush to coat.
• Add the oil to a skillet and heat it up over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a cutting board, cut into cubes, and then return to the skillet; keep warm over low heat, covered in foil.
• For the tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve the chicken with the tortillas as part of a taco bar.
• Add the avocados, cilantro, sour cream, milk, salt, pepper and lime zest and juice to a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve as part of a taco bar.
• Add the beans, chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper to a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 6 hours. Serve as part of a taco bar.
• Heat up a grill pan and slap the peppers on. Cook, turning them occasionally, until blistered on all sides and softened, about 8 minutes total. Remove and set aside. Serve as part of a taco bar.
• Add the jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, mangoes, cilantro, lime juice and salt to a bowl and stir together. Serve as a taco bar fixing.
• In a blender or food processor (see Cook's Note), combine the diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, cilantro, onions, garlic, chiles, hot sauce, cumin, salt, sugar and lime juice. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you like; I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip, if you dare. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

TACO SHELLS AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it with a wooden spoon, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Stir in the diced tomatoes and chiles, hot water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove to a bowl (it will still be a little juicy).
• In the same pan over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the milk and cook until hot and bubbling. Add the processed cheese and cook, stirring, until melted. Do the same with the Cheddar jack. Pour in the cooked pasta, add the taco meat and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, thinning with a splash of milk if needed. Stir in the cilantro.
• Top each serving with some sour cream and salsa if desired.

BEEF TACOS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onions. Cook until starting to soften, then add the ground beef. Cook the meat until it's totally browned, then drain the fat. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup hot water and stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• For the fixins: Meanwhile, wrap the flour tortillas in foil and warm in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Right before serving, crisp the taco shells in the oven according to package instructions.
• Serve with the grated cheese, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

CHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the tomatoes, garlic and onions. Stir and cook for a minute or 2. Add 2 teaspoons of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and 1 teaspoon of the cumin. Stir and cook the mixture for another minute or 2 in order to release the flavors. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chicken along with the remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin and some salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is deep golden brown and done in the middle, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and stir to make a sauce. Allow the sauce to boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pinto and kidney beans and set aside.
• To assemble, pour half of the jar of salsa verde (about a cup) in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish or disposable foil baking pan. Layer half of the tortillas on top of the salsa verde, overlapping the edges. Spoon the rice over the tortillas, spread the tomato mixture over the rice then sprinkle the corn over the tomatoes. Next, add the chicken and bean mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheese and pour over half the Enchilada Sauce. Next, add the remaining tortillas in a layer, pour on the rest of the salsa verde and Enchilada Sauce and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the casserole to sit for a few minutes before serving up to ensure it holds together. Serve with sour cream and cilantro for topping.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, bouillon cube and some salt and pepper and cook until the spices darken and their flavors are released, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, stir to combine and cook it for another minute. Add the stock and stir to combine, then allow the liquid to thicken. Add the tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is nice and thick and reduced by about a third, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then use an immersion blender to completely puree the sauce until smooth. (Alternatively, you can transfer it to a blender to puree it; just make sure the sauce is cooled, as blending hot liquids is dangerous!)
• The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week and can also be frozen! Just reheat the sauce in a saucepan or skillet for whatever recipe calls for it.

MEXICAN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic, stir and cook for a minute or two to soften the onion. Add 2 teaspoons of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and 1 teaspoon of the cumin. Stir and cook the mixture for another minute or two to release the flavors of the spices. Remove the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chicken along with the remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute the chicken until it's deep golden brown and done in the middle, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and stir to make a sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook until it's reduced by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the beans and set aside.
• To assemble the casserole, pour half a jar (about 1 cup) of salsa verde into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish or disposable foil baking pan. Add a layer of half the tortillas on top of the salsa verde, overlapping the edges. Spoon the rice over the tortillas, spread the tomato mixture over the rice, then sprinkle the corn over the tomatoes. Next, add the chicken and bean mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheese and pour over half the enchilada sauce. Next, add the rest of the tortillas, then pour on the rest of the salsa verde and the rest of the enchilada sauce and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
• If you're baking the casserole right away, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.
• Find this recipe and more in Ree's new book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime ($30, William Morrow Cookbooks).

TACO CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
• In a large skillet, cook and stir ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat until brown. Mix in tomato soup, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning mix. Stir in pasta.
• Spoon beef mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle crumbled taco chips and grated cheese on top.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with chopped green onions and sour cream, if desired.