Taco Casserole

Tacos and spaghetti are two of the messiest foods to eat. Spaghetti is usually pretty straightforward, but preparing all the little taco toppings can be a pain.

Casseroles, on the other hand, are a busy cook's best friend.

Mix tacos and casserole, and what do you get? A somewhat less messy taco that you can prepare ahead of time, and that uses about half the dishes. If you want to make it in the morning for dinner that night, mix up the cooked ingredients and pop the casserole dish in the fridge.

Taco Casserole

2 cups dried brown rice

2 cans black beans
1 can yellow corn

Taco spice to taste (any mix works)

1 lb. ground beef

Chopped lettuce

Salsa

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese

Tortillas & taco shells

1. Pre-cook the rice according to directions
2. Brown the beef & drain the fat
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F
4. Mix beans, rice, corn and taco spice, top with cheese. Transfer into a 9 by 13 pan, bake for 20 m. or until cheese is bubbly. If it's refrigerated, bake for 40 minutes
5. Serve with salsa, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese. Eat by itself or in tortillas or taco shells.

Additional/alternate ingredients:

Your own favorite taco toppings

1 - 1 ½ large white potatoes or 4 small white potatoes

Chop into 1-inch chunks, fry in bacon grease, drain, and mix with the beef before baking

Replace or mix the black beans with great northern beans and/or kidney beans

Mix diced tomatoes and/or tomato sauce with the beef before baking

Replace the ground beef with ground turkey for a healthier meal

Replace ground beef with diced chicken for a different texture and a healthier meal

Replace the brown rice with white rice

Enjoy!

~Maria