- 2 - 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained
OR 1 cup of dry beans, cooked tender
(about 3 cups of cooked beans)
- 1/2 to 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 tablespoon dry onion
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH garlic powder and
oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 3 cups whole grain corn chips or
tortilla chips (read the label)
- 1 or 2 cups shredded cheese
I start the kidney beans in the morning,
bringing them to a boil in a quart of water,
and then letting them rest for an hour. Then
I simmer them until they are tender and
refrigerate them until suppertime. If you
didn't want to cook your beans from scratch,
you could use canned beans.
Get your hamburger and start it to frying in
a big iron skillet. Break it up into small
pieces as you go along. When it is done
clear through drain off the fat if
necessary. Put the beans, seasonings, and
tomato sauce in the skillet with the meat.
Stir it all up and simmer it for a few
minutes to blend the flavors. If necessary
you may add a little water, but remember you
want it thick: sort of like sloppy joes. If
you add too much water then you can simmer
it on the stove until it thickens up to your
liking.
When the mixture is good and hot, turn it
into a 9" by 13" pan. Sprinkle the cheese on
top, and then scatter the corn chips or
tortilla chips over all. I casually jab the
mixture with my fork or spoon to coax some
of the chips into the meat mixture. You
don't want them all in the meat because they
will get soggy. But the dish tastes best
with a few of the chips soaking up the pan
juices. Place the pan into the oven and bake
at 400° for about 20 minutes. When the
cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly,
the dish is done.
To serve, place a handful of lettuce in a
bowl. Top it with a a big scoop of the
tortilla chip/meat mixture. Then add fresh
or canned tomatoes and yogurt or sour cream.
I sprinkle mine with hot pepper flakes but
this is a personal choice. Children usually
don't care for red pepper flakes but many
adults find them refreshing. Tommy, my
persnickety eater, finds this recipe much to
his liking. Doubled, it is nice for buffet
service at large gatherings. If you double
the recipe bake it in two pans. I think of
this recipe as healthy junk food. It serves
between 8 and 10.
|
