Beef and Potato Casserole

I’ve always thought of “casserole” as a some sort of cooking container/apparatus. It’s not until I got an interest in cooking when I realized that it also pertains to a huge assortment of dishes with the common denominator being “cooked slowly in an oven”.

This recipe is placed in a Pyrex dish and cooks 20 minutes in the oven. Neither  fills the above requirement but I will still call it a “casserole”… because I can.

This is one of those dishes that is so rich and creamy that it immediately fills you with guilt if you count your calories. I have made peace with my body so I don’t care much about that. But of a dish that wreaks havoc with your arteries, this dish does wonders to your psyche. Let me break that down to you: sweet and tangy, ground beef, herbed cheese and potatoes. That is the trifecta of comfort food.

The caloric cast of evil characters: lean (yeah right) ground beef, milk, red potatoes, onion, parmesan cheese, assorted herbs, your favorite barbecue sauce
The caloric cast of evil characters: lean (yeah right) ground beef, milk, red potatoes, onion, parmesan cheese, assorted herbs, your favorite barbecue sauce
Saute beef and onions. Once brown, add you favorite bbq sauce. I add a bit of honey, coz i like it more on the sweet side
Saute beef and onions. Once brown, add you favorite bbq sauce. I add a bit of honey, coz i like it more on the sweet side
herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme and basil. this goes in to the cream later
herbs from my garden: sage, rosemary, thyme and basil. this goes in to the cream later
melt half a stick of butter then cook 3T of flour (about 2 minutes), then add the herbs
melt half a stick of butter then cook 3T of flour (about 2 minutes), then add the herbs
the sin and decadence continues by adding 1 cup of milk.
the sin and decadence continues by adding 1 cup of milk.

Ideally, I should be using whipping cream instead of 2% milk. But since I didn’t do a triathlon today, there is really no need for that. I can live with the less rich quality of low fat milk…

Once thick, add a cup of parmesan
Once thick, add a cup of parmesan

If there is one certainty in cooking, it is the fact that any liquid added to cooked flour in butter, IT WILL THICKEN.

I forgot to take pictures of the potatoes, so lets just conjure an image of peeled red potatoes, cut in half inch scallop, boiling gloriously for 12 min, drained, then arranged in a baking dish.

Pour the cooked ground beef on top of the potatoes then pour the cream.
Pour the cooked ground beef on top of the potatoes then pour the cream.
Bake in 400 for 20 minutes or until crust forms on top
Bake in 400 for 20 minutes or until crust forms on top
All done. Note my new Kate Spade mittens. "All in good taste". Love it!
All done. Note my new Kate Spade mittens. “All in good taste”. Love it!

And just like that, the ultimate comfort food is created. Beans devoured this as soon as he got back from school. Ah, to be 14 and skinny, with a metabolism that doesn’t quit….

 

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