Hearty Taco Casserole

Monday, July 13, 2009

You've probably noticed by now that my family has a thing for Mexican food. I make it at least a couple times a week and it's one of my fail safes--if I make Mexican no one complains (which is a big feat when you're cooking for 7 every night). This is a recipe I found in an old edition of Light and Tasty and I knew just at a quick glance at the ingredients that my family would love it. With its thin crust on the bottom, the savory taco filling, then the fresh toppings this is definitely going into the keeper files!




The ingredients:

2/3 uncooked brown rice
1-1/3 cups plus 4-5 tablespoons water, divided
3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. cold butter

FILLING:
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

In a small saucepan, bring rice and 1-1/3 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in enough remaining water to form a soft dough. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until very lightly browned.

For filling, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add water, taco seasoning and cooked rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs and cilantro. Spread over crust.

Cover and bake for 15-17 minutes or until filling is set. Cut into squares. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Makes 8 servings.

Enjoy!

8 comments:

Coleens Recipes July 14, 2009 at 4:42 AM  

This looks WONDERFUL. We totally enjoy Mexican food as well and I am always looking for new recipes. Thank you for posting this.

Melody July 14, 2009 at 7:40 AM  

My family is the same! They just love Mexican food and that is fine with me. It's my favorite too. This looks great and I like that is is lightened up. Thanks!

Heidi July 14, 2009 at 5:37 PM  

It's something taco-ish! Don't be surprised if this one pops up on my blog too:)

Katy ~ July 14, 2009 at 7:21 PM  

I can see this being a big hit!

teresa July 14, 2009 at 7:49 PM  

This looks so delicious and full of wonderful flavor!

Jayashiangel October 7, 2009 at 4:27 PM  

I was checking out your blog and see that the picture doesn't match the ingredients listed...However the recipe sounds great just wanted to let you know.:O) Thanks for posting

Lara October 16, 2009 at 11:31 PM  

You're right! I've posted the PB&J muffin ingredient photo instead of the ones for this recipe. Thanks for noticing the discrepancy and I'll take that off right now. I must have missed taking a picture of the ingredients because I don't have one.

Susan at www.ugogrrl.com October 5, 2010 at 3:29 PM  

I am a TEXAS girl and I love Mexican food. My parents are visiting from TEXAS next week and I think this is the perfect recipe to try.

I am new to your blog and I love it. I can't wait to read more.

Susan www.ugogrrl.com

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About This Blog

My name is Lara and while I'm definitely not a gourmet cook, I do love preparing tasty, healthy meals for my family. Finding new recipes to try and sharing the ones we've already fallen in love with is a passion I've had since college and the reason why I've started this blog! With five kids, I'm usually in a hurry, so you'll find most of these recipes kid friendly and simple to make.

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