Chuckwagon Casserole

By khovater

Ingredients

• Casserole:
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can of condensed tomato soup
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Topping:
• 2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 (12 count) roll of refrigerated biscuits
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of cornmeal

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from deepsouthdish.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion and bell pepper until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the ground beef and cook until browned; drain if needed. To the beef, add the beans, corn, tomato soup, milk, cheese, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning. Stir over medium heat until well blended. Taste; add salt and pepper, as needed.

Transfer to a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Melt the butter and set aside to cool. Remove the casserole, dip the biscuits in the butter and scatter on the top of the casserole dish. Sprinkle the tops of all of the biscuits with cornmeal. Return to the oven and bake uncovered, at 375 degrees F, for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until biscuits are cooked through and golden brown. Serve immediately with a green vegetable or a side salad.

Variation: Can also top with a cornbread batter - simply pour on top and bake. Substitute a can of chili beans in sauce for the kidney beans, or use 3/4 cup of barbecue sauce for the tomato soup.

Note: This makes a short casserole. If you have super hardy eaters in your house, or if you are making this for a potluck, double the casserole ingredients for a more meaty, hardy casserole. I also had to use a 10-count roll of refrigerated biscuits. Okay to substitute frozen biscuits but let them thaw before adding them to the casserole.