This new twist on an old classic adds extra flavor and oomph to this casserole.
Feel free to add more bacon, or change the vegetables and even the soup if you wish. Of course, the more cheese the better, so add as much as you like. The recipe is merely a guide.
This version is made with potato crowns, which look like mini potato patties.
This recipe uses raw ground beef pressed in the bottom of the baking dish. The casserole is stirred and the meat is broken up midway during the cooking process. This creates chunks of meat unlike the classic dish where the ground beef is browned before adding it to the casserole.
In this dish, the leaner the ground beef, the better. A lean content of 93 percent is recommended.
1 lb very lean ground beef (at least 85% lean)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (low-fat preferred, but not necessary)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
6 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup french fried onions (such as French's)
2 cups potato crowns or regular tater tots
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Press ground beef into a 11 x 7-inch deep baking dish. Spread the potato crowns evenly on top of the ground beef. Pour the soup over the potato crowns. Sprinkle the diced bell peppers, bacon and french fried onions on top of the soup. Distribute one cup of the cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir the casserole, breaking meat into chunks. Add the rest of the cheese and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
