Driving cattle is the kind of hard work that creates a serious appetite. That’s why “farmhouse cuisine” boasts so many hearty and satisfying dishes. The recipe below is designed to satisfy the big appetites of cowboys and cowgirls, but us regular city folk love it just as much.
This dish is meaty, spicy and cheesy, and has a flaky biscuit base layer that’s impossible to ignore. It’s simple to prepare because it uses a biscuit mix for the crust, which is topped with seasoned ground beef and a layer of creamy, chile-studded sauce and lots of melted cheese. Whether you work on a ranch or in a high-rise office building, this is a meal you’ll be happy to sit down to at the end of a day’s work.
Cattle drive casserole
8
15 minutes
45 minutes
1 hour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 packet taco seasoning
Salt
Pepper
½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
One 4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 ½ cups biscuit mix
3/4 cup water
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, beef, onion and red pepper, and cook, stirring, until the beef is browned and the onions and peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for a minute or two more.
In mixing bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, chilies, garlic powder and 1 cup of the cheese.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the biscuit mix and the water, stirring it together to form a dough.
Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish to form an even crust layer. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
Spread the beef mixture over the crust in an even layer, and then add the sour cream mixture, spreading it out in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole hot. Serve immediately.
