Kim's County Line: A Cinco de Mayo Casserole

There's not much authentically Mexican about this casserole. But it is authentically tasty. This cook of English-Scottish ancestry thinks that the ingredients have a Mexican flair. So if you're looking for a tasty way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on your family's table this May 5, this recipe is a contender.

We prefer mild Mexican flavors, but if you like your food spicier, you can use a more heat-packed pepper than the green chilies. You can also use hot chili beans and spicy refried beans.

It makes a really big casserole, so I like using it for church potlucks. Unless you're feeding a crowd, you can make half a recipe. (I realize it's not the most convenient to use just half a can of refried beans and chilies, but the other ingredients are easy to divide. Maybe you can have another Mexican-inspired meal and use the remainder of the cans later in the week.)

Enjoy for Cinco de Mayo - or any other day of the week. (Links to some of our other favorite Mexican-inspired meals are at the bottom of this post.)

This is how it looks before adding toppings.

Mexican Tortilla Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger, browned and drained
Minced onion to taste (or 1/2 a regular onion, chopped)
1 pkg. flour tortillas
2 cans chili beans
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 small can chopped green chilies
2 cups marbled cheese
8 oz. sour cream (regular or low-fat)
6 eggs
Toppings: Chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, chopped onions, chopped pepper, additional shredded cheese, guacamole, other toppings as desired

Brown hamburger with minced onion. Drain; set aside. Cut tortilla shells into bite-sized pieces; set aside. (I usually use clean kitchen shears.)

Combine chili beans, refried beans, chilies and browned hamburger, mixing well.

Put a thin layer of bean/meat mixture in bottom of prepared pan. Add 1/2 of tortillas and a layer of cheese. Repeat, ending on top with the bean/meat mixture.

Beat together the eggs and sour cream. Pour over the prepared casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool slightly. Right before serving, top with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc., as desired.

Note: The original recipe calls for a 13- by 9-inch pan. I have a slightly larger white casserole dish that I use for this and it still is really full. If you don't have a larger pan, you may want to divide it into two smaller casseroles and freeze one. (Don't put the egg layer on before you freeze it. Then, when you're ready to serve it, remove from freezer to thaw, and add the egg mixture before baking.)

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Here are some other County Line recipes with a Mexican flair. (The photos may not be my best, but the recipes are tried and true!) Just click on the links below each photo to get the recipes.