Mini Meatloaves

 I have a recipe for instant pot meatloaf on here but this is a little bit different recipe and done in individual portions. Makes it easier for serving and it doesn't have to cook as long. 

This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe I saw on cookingmamas.com You can find the original recipe HERE I added in my twist to it and kept some of my original likes I have when doing meatloaf. My son who does not eat meatloaf actually ate this...all of his portion...wow.. That seriously is a win!

We paired it with some fried potatoes and corn. My dad said it was his favorite meal. Another win! 

Hope you enjoy it!

photo from Mommy Hates Cooking

INGREDIENTS

Meatloaf: 

1 pound lean or extra-lean ground beef

1 pound ground turkey (you can use both ground beef if you want, but you can't tell it's in there!)

1 pkg Stove Top Stuffing, chicken flavor

1/2 pkg of onion soup mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup ketchup

Sauce:

Approx 1 cup ketchup - I just squirt until it looks like enough.

2 Tbsps brown sugar

1 tsp mustard

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (you could also use a muffin tin)

2. Put Stove Top Stuffing in a bowl and add milk to it. Mix to coat and set aside. 

3. Add ground beef and ground turkey to a large mixing bowl. Add onion soup mix, eggs, ketchup and mix well. 

4. Once the stuffing has sat a bit to soak up the milk add to the meat mixture and mix well. 

5. If you have an ice cream scoop that works well to divide out the meat otherwise I just divided the meat mixture into 8 oval mini meatloaves. 

6. Cook for 35 mins. 

7. Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Take meatloaves out when done for 35 mins. Add sauce on top and put back in the oven for another 10 mins. 

*internal temperature should be at 160 degrees

Instant Pot French Dip

I've made french dip before and cooked the roast in my slow cooker but couldn't find the recipe I used so I tried this one for my instant pot. It turned out really juicy and had a lot of flavour in the au jus. The recipe I used a couple of different recipes and did my own thing. The picture and one of the recipes I used comes from marginmakingmom.com the link is HERE.

We really enjoyed this one so I hope you will too!

2-3 pound roast (chuck is commonly used - I used top sirloin)
2 cups of beef broth
1Tbsp olive oil
1 packet au jus mix
1 packet onion soup mix
1/2 large sweet onion cut into strips
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt/pepper/garlic powder
12-16 slices of provolone cheese
approx 8 sub rolls (depending on size)
Butter to spread on rolls

Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to all sides of the roast. Turn the Instant Pot on saute to heat up. Add the olive oil to the bottom and when it is hot add the roast and cook on all sides for approx 3 mins on each side until nice and brown. As the roast is searing cut up the onion. Once the roast is browned on all sides take it out onto a plate. Keep the Instant Pot on saute and add more oil if needed. Add the sliced onions and saute until clear, add garlic and stir for a min more. Add beef broth making sure to scrape the yummy brown bits off the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the onion soup mix, au jus mix, and Worcestershire Sauce then add the roast back in.

 Close the lid and put on sealing.  Cook on Manual or Pressure Cook setting for 60 mins with a natural release of about 15 mins then release any pressure that is left.

Take the roast out and shred then cover with foil. Take the rolls and cut them in half. Spread some butter on each half and sprinkle with garlic powder. Put under the broiler to toast for a couple of mins. Take them out and add beef to one side and top with provolone cheese. Put back in the oven to melt the cheese for 30 secs or so. Take them out and serve with small pots of the au jus. YUM!

Instant Pot Meatloaf

Once in awhile you just want one of those comfort food meals that are just so good that it brings comfort to the soul as well. Meatloaf is one of those meals that I like having once in a while but the prep and waiting for it to cook just seems to take forever to me so I never had it often.  I love trying different things in my instant pot and this one is definitely a keeper. It is easy, fast and you have a meal done in a matter of minutes. Meatloaf sandwiches for leftovers are pretty yummy as well. 

You can also add some potatoes to the bottom of your instant pot in big chunks or whole, add the trivet on top then add your meatloaf on top. Once everything is cooked take the meatloaf out and the trivet. Drain a bit if needed and mash the potatoes as usual...super easy! Recipe adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch. You can find the original recipe HERE

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf: 

2 pounds lean ground beef (can also use turkey or pork or a combination)

2 large eggs

4 Tbsp ketchup

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce.

1 Tbsp prepared mustard

4 tsp of minced garlic or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp coarse black pepper

1 tsp sage

2 Tbsp minced onion flakes or 1/2 cup chopped fresh onion. 

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (or regular bread crumbs)

For the sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

6 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 tsp prepared mustard

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions:

1. If using potatoes scrub or peel the potatoes, if they are really big cut them in half if they are small leave whole.  Put enough to fill the bottom of the instant pot. Add the trivet and 3/4 cup of water. If not doing potatoes just put in the trivet and the water. 

2. Mix all of the meatloaf ingredients well and form the meat mixture into a round pot that will fit into your instant pot. Or you can also use tinfoil and make a bowl type thing around your meatloaf, doubling up the tinfoil crossways so that you can seal it well. You don't really want the grease from the meatloaf to go all over your potatoes. You don't need to cover the meatloaf though. 

3. Close the instant pot lid and turn the knob to sealing. Hit manual and put the time for 25 mins or 30 if your meatloaf is quite thick. Then let the instant pot do its thing. Letting it depressurize about 10 mins once it is done. Carefully turn the knob to release any leftover steam and open the lid. 

4. Carefully take out the meatloaf, drain grease as much as possible.

5. Mix sauce ingredients and put on top - you can put under a broiler for a couple minutes to carmelize the sauce a bit. If you are using tin foil I would put it in an ovenproof pan or casserole dish just in case it drips. 

6 Take out the trivet and drain excess water if mashing potatoes. Mash potatoes as usual with some butter and milk. Enjoy! 

We have ours with steamed asparagus, broccoli or green beans. 

Hamburger Soup

This soup is sooo yummy and makes a big pot so you can have leftovers or invite someone over for supper. This recipe comes from The Pioneer Women and you can click Here to find the original recipe. The original recipe is not made in an instant pot but that is how I made mine. 

picture from The Pioneer Women

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 whole large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups beef stock or broth
• 1 each whole yellow, green & red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 5 red potatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pepper (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano (or more to taste)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

Preparation

In a large pot or instant pot with the saute setting, brown the meat with the onion, celery, and garlic. Drain as much fat as you can. 

Add the rest of the ingredients (I wasn't able to get everything in my 6 quart instant pot so I had to cut down the measurements a bit) Stir to combine. Close lid on the instant pot and close valve. Set on manual for 8 mins using the quick release when done. If using a large pot after adding remaining ingredients bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15-20 mins, until potatoes are tender but not overly mushy. 

Soup should be somewhat thick, but if you'd like it to be more "soupy" add 1 to 2 more broth or hot water and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed. 

Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni

So the Instant Pot has been my new best friend. I do so much in it now and I love how fast it is. As new recipes come out I'll post our family favorites. 

This recipe comes from by Pink.com you can click to find the original recipe Here. 

My whole family loved this and it was so easy to do, even my picky son loved it and it had tomatoes in it..yikes! 

picture from bypink.com

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef

16 oz elbow macaroni dry

2 cups chicken broth

1 tbsp Franks Red Hot (or to liking) 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley flakes

28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

16 oz shredded cheese of choice. 

Instructions

Press saute and add ground beef, oregano, and garlic. 

Cook until no longer pink and also crumbling. Drain oil as much as you can. 

Add all other ingredients except cheese, give it a good stir. 

Put on the lid and lock with the valve closed. 

Press manual, cook 4 mins on high and then do a quick release when done. 

Stir in the cheese allow to melt and serve. 

Country Beef Stew

I made this stew for a staff Christmas party. You can get the original recipe HERE from South Your Mouth. I made a mistake cooking this as I couldn't get all the ingredients I wanted in my crock pot so I had to leave out the potatoes but then I ended I putting it all in a roaster and putting it in my oven on low...Well the meat cooked too much and started shredding (but still good) and the potatoes were barely done (but still tasted good). But I was trying to do a bigger batch...next time it will all cook the same and be so fantastic. I did change a couple of things with it but I think the flavor was so great and had some compliments on it. It's a great stew to have with homemade buns on a cold day. 

I have written it for the stove top method but can be done in crock pot.

Ingredients

1.5-2 pounds chuck roast, cubed or stew meat

1-1/5 pounds beef short ribs (optional but adds great flavor)

4 Tbsps olive oil, divided

Salt, pepper & garlic powder

2-3 cups diced carrots

2-3 cups diced celery

1 large onion, diced

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 cup flour (or 2 tbsp of cornstarch)

2 envelopes beefy onion soup mix (or beef broth crystals and onion flakes)

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup beef broth

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

4-5 med potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Season meat and ribs liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add beef pieces and ribs in batches to hot oil and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl; set aside. Do in batches and just sear the meat, you are not cooking it. 

Add remaining oil to pot then saute carrots, celery and onion for 4-6 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and thyme and continue cooking 2 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add flour to vegetables and stir well. Cook and stir for 2-3 mins more. 

Combine water with beefy onion soup, mix well then add to veggies and stir. Once broth is smooth and well combined, add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add meat, ribs and any pan juices back to the pot. Add bay leaf and potatoes then stir well. 

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not let the pot come to a boil-just slowly simmer. Season with additional salt, pepper and garlic powder if needed. 

When ready to serve remove rib bones and bay leaf from pot. 

Note: 

If doing this the crock pot way after searing the meat just add meat and all the other ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6. 

Taco Soup

This recipe comes from Paula Deen so you know it's good! Made this for a staff lunch and got lots of raves. Make sure you put all the fixins on top, it makes it all the more better. You could also use chicken in this instead of ground beef or no meat at all and it's still very good. 

This soup will definitely keep you warm on a cold night!

picture from food network.

12-16 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 cups diced onions

1 (15 1/2 oz) cans pinto beans

1 (15 1/2 oz) can red kidney beans

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomatoes with chiles

2 cans diced green chiles

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 package ranch salad dressing mix

(I also added a can of tomato sauce)

Toppings: sliced black olives, green onion, grated cheese, jalapenos, and corn chips. 

Directions

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the mean to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, taco seasoning, ranch dressing. 

Cook in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour on the stove. 

Serve with all the toppings on top. So good!

Korean Beef Bowl

This was a yummy find that I tried and it is so easy and so very good! I want to try it with strips of beef instead of ground beef sometime. Maybe it will be a little leaner. 

Recipe is from Damn Delicious (adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff)

Ingredients

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound lean ground beef

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger. 

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 min. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 mins, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through. 

Serve immediately with rice. 

So good! 

Fry Bread & Indian Tacos

One of the great benefits of living next to the largest Indian Reserve in Canada is the fact that Indian Tacos are around all the time. I have learned however that there are many ways to make them depending on family background and personal tastes. The Navajo Tacos tend to be more flat and used like a taco in hand rather than on a plate eaten with knife and fork. They also tend to use refried beans with their meat mixture to give it a more Mexican taste with perhaps a saucy Mexican red sauce.

There are a few different ways to make fry bread as well. Some use milk while other just use water. Some use baking powder while other use yeast and some use eggs and some don't. This fry bread recipe came from my mom who got it from one of her Native friends that she use to work with and it has always been a hit when I serve it. 

You can add whatever toppings you like I'll give you a few suggestions. Hope you enjoy!

(thanks to Manly Kitchen & The Pioneer Woman for the pictures)

Ingredients

Fry Bread (makes approx 15 depending on size)

4 cups flour

4 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups milk (can use 2/3 cup of powdered milk and 2 cups water)

2 eggs 

Oil or Crisco

Taco Meat

Basic:

1-2 pounds of ground beef

1 pkg of taco seasoning.

water as indicated on pkg

Fry up the meat and drain off grease (I put mine in a colander and rinse with hot water then put back in frying pan)

Add taco seasoning and water and cook on low heat until ready. Add other ingredients below if you wish)

optional things you could put in your meat:

Can of Rotel "Hot" or "Chili fixin" tomatoes or just regular diced tomatoes

1 can kidney or navy beans

diced onion fried with hamburger

salsa added to meat

one time I had left over meatless chili in the fridge (on blog) and added that to the meat- so good!

Toppings 

Lettuce - chopped fine

Tomatoes-diced

Cheese - shredded

Sour cream

Jalapenos

Salsa

or whatever you like on your tacos

Directions

-In a bowl (I use my kitchen aid with bread hook) add flour, baking powder and salt. 

-In another small-med bowl add eggs and whip a bit. Add 2 cups of milk. If using the powdered milk method then add the powder then the water and use a whisk to blend then add the eggs and whisk again. 

-Add the milk to the flour and combined with either the kitchen aid or the tools God gave ya (your hands). The dough will be quite sticky. 

- Put some flour on a clean surface and dump the dough onto the flour. 

- Knee the dough just until blended still having a bit of stickiness you don't want too much flour to make it stiff, then mound the dough into a ball. 

-Brush the extra flour aside with your hands and get out the oil. 

- Rub the oil lightly onto the ball of dough, cover and let sit at room temperature for a bit. 

- Add about 1 inch of canola oil to a frying pan (you can melt Crisco in the frying pan as well if you prefer) and heat up on med high -high heat (about an 8 or 375 in electric pan). To test you can add a small piece of dough you don't want it too hot that it cooks too fast or too low that it soaks up too much of the oil as it cooks. 

- Pour some of the oil onto a clean surface (or somewhat clean from where you were kneeing) and rub some onto your hands as well.  

- Take a small piece of the dough and make into a ball. 

- Using your hands flatten out the dough on the oiled surface to make a nice round piece. Then gently pull it up and carefully add it to the oil. It's ok if it has some tiny holes in it as you pull it up they tend to cook together. 

Watch the dough carefully and turn over with tongues when golden brown. 

 Hold the fry bread over oil to let it drain a bit before placing on a paper towel lined plate.

These are very good with honey butter, jam or cinnamon sugar or use them for your Indian Tacos. 

Super Easy Shepherd's Pie

This is not the right picture for this recipe but there are soooo many ways you can do Shepherd's Pie and I've done a few. This recipe is so quick and tastier than you may think seeing as there isn't any onion or herbs put in. I got this recipe from my church. The ladies there made a cookbook and it sure has been great trying the recipes. 

So thanks goes to Macie Wood for this one, the family loves it! 

Ingredients

1 lbs lean hamburger (I do approx 2 pounds)

5-6 med potatoes (I've also used garlic and herb instant potatoes or instant packs from Costco)

1 can tomato soup (I use 2 cans)

1/2 bag of frozen corn or 1 can of corn.

Shredded cheese 

Cook hamburger then add tomato soup. Boil and mash potatoes. Heat corn. 

I use a 9x13 pan. Layer hamburger, then corn (I mix the corn in the hamburger) then top with potatoes and grated cheese. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is melted. Easy comfort food!

Pastitsio

When I worked at the Greek restaurant in town the chef there gave me his recipe for this dish which wasn't on the menu but he showed some of us how to make it.  This is a little bit easier of a version of it and by the reviews tastes just as good as the real thing. The cinnamon in it is surprisingly good.  I made it for supper and even my extremely picky boy ate it saying he liked it...yay! Always excited when I can find recipes he will try. This is made in a 9x13 pan serves about 10-12..it's very filling and with a salad and garlic bread it's a great meal! Recipe is from Taste of Home

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used a little less than this)

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 med onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Bechamel Sauce

1/2 cup butter, cubed

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 cups milk

2 eggs

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with melted butter; add grated Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink breaking beef into crumbles; drain. Add garlic; cook 2 mins longer. Stir in tomato sauce, salt and cinnamon; heat through. Spoon over pasta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 

3. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually add ilk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 mins or until thickened. 

4. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into beaten eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 mins. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

5. Bake, coered 20 mins. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 mins longer or until golden brown on top. 

Meatloaf

Once in awhile it just nice to go to the comfort food and this one is a good one. Easy and yummy. I've made this recipe for years so I'm not sure where I got it from.

Family favorite for sure. Goes well with Mashed herb potatoes and green beans. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds lean hamburger

2 eggs beaten

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

1 pkg onion soup mix

Mix together and put in a loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Sauce

1/3 cup ketchup 

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix together and place on meatloaf after it has cooked for an hour. Put back in over for 15 more mins. 

Versatile Pasta and Beef Skillet

This picture is not what it really looks like but it did not come with one and I didn't remember to take a picture when I made it..so..it's the closest I could find.  We all really enjoyed this dish. I used shells instead of macaroni but I'm sure you could use whatever you wanted to. You could also change it up a bit and use a small can of tomatoes instead of a large one and add 1 cup of salsa. You could also use taco seasoning instead of the oregano and basil. Or omit the pasta and add a can of kidney beans, black beans or chili beans and serve over rice. So yummy! Recipe from cooks.com. Picture from realmomkitchen.com. 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 med-large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

4-5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1 large (28oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 cup ketchup

2-3 cups elbow macaroni

1 small can mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

hot red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp or to taste

Directions

In a skillet, saute onion, pepper, celery and whole cloves of garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil and butter. Turn garlic cloves to brown on both sides, then mash into the oil using the tines of a fork (this gives a mellow, roasted garlic flavor) I just used minced garlic for this. Don't allow garlic to burn. When edges of onions have taken on colour, remove contents of pan to a bowl and set aside. 

In same skillet, brown ground beef in remaining olive oil over high heat, stirring often. Drain to keep hamburger dry halfway through the cooking so as not to steam the beef. As contents of skillet become dry, additional olive oil may be added. When beef has browned nicely, deglaze the pan by adding the Marsala wine and stirring up the brown bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to the lowest setting. Stir in the chopped tomatoes (juice and all). Add 1/2 tsp basil and 1/4 tsp oregano. (use fresh herbs when available, doubling quantities) Add ketchup. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 mins or until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Cover skillet half way (by tilting lid).

Meanwhile, boil macaroni according to package directions. Drain. 

After the 30 mins has elapsed, stir mushrooms and cooked pasta into the tomatoe and ground beef mixture in the skillet. Season to taste with seas salt, pepper and hot red pepper flakes. Cook another 2-3 mins until mushrooms have heated through before serving. 

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

This is another family favorite that comes from our family cookbook. (Thanks to my cousin Sharon!)  Sometimes if I'm too lazy I'll just scramble up the meat with all the ingredients in it instead of making the meatballs and serve with rice. You can also serve as appetizers. Very yummy! 

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp mustard

2-3 shakes of worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp soya sauce

1/2 pkg dry Lipton onion soup mix

Form meatballs and fry

Sauce

1 cup water

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup vinegar

Mix ingredients and boil a couple mins until clear. Pour sauce over cooked meatballs and rice. 

Tatertot Casserole

This is probably the most loved dish by my kids I think.  Even my picky Autistic boy loves this (who never likes his food combined together) It's very easy and yummy! This recipe (with a change I made) comes from a family cookbook so I'm not sure where she got it from.  There are a lot of variations out there of this casserole. This one is the one we love!



Ingredients

1 bag of tatertots
1 can of mushroom soup
1 small onion, chopped
minced garlic -about a heaping tsp or however much you like. (optional)
1 can of evaporated milk
1 lb of lean ground beef
A bunch of frozen veggies (we use about 2 cups of the peas, carrots, green bean combo)
Seasoning salt -couple of shakes
Grated cheese for on top.

Directions

1. Cook tatertots according to package-nice and crispy.
2. While tatertots are cooking brown meat and onion in frying pan. Add soup and milk to the meat and stir well to combined. Add veggies and simmer 5-10 mins (to speed this up I usually microwave the frozen veggies for a bit before I put them in)
3. Pour meat mixture into a 9x13 pan and top with cooked tatertots. Cover with grated cheese to your liking and place in 350 degree over until cheese is melted.

My husband and I like to top ours with some hot sauce :)

John Wayne Casserole

Not sure if this is a John Wayne favorite (hence the name) but it was a hit in our house. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out but it was very yummy and we like things a bit spicy so we even added a few drops of Louisiana Hot Sauce on it. The recipe was adapted from Mississippi Magazine.


                                        

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef, cooked and drained
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz or more Cheddar cheese or a Tex Mex type.
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups biscuit mix
1 cup of water
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 (4 oz) can sliced jalapeno peppers (or if using fresh fry 2 with onion and peppers)

Directions

1. heat oven to 325. Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning and water, according to packet instructions; set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and 4 oz of cheddar cheese, and half of the onions; set aside.
3. Stir Bisquick and water together to form soft dough. pat dough on the bottom and one-half-inch up the sides of an 9x13 greased casserole dish.
4. Saute remaining onions and bell peppers (and jalapenos if using fresh) until slightly tender.
5. On top of biscuit layer, evenly distribute the ground beef, add tomato slices, then add the onion & peppers. Add the sour cream mixture and end with the remaining cheese to your liking.
6. Back for 30-40 mins or until dough (if you can see it) is light brown.