Monday, June 18, 2012

Taco Bake

All the goodness of a taco, but in a casserole!  I seriously love casseroles.  The love for this started when I was young.  My Meme (grandma) used to make (and still does) hidden corn.....because she used to make hidden peas, but I didn't like peas!  If you don't know what hidden corn (or peas) is, it's a layer of ground beef, a layer of veggies and a layer of mashed potatoes on top.  It's baked so that it's warmed through and browned on top.  That's it!  My sister and I used to mix ketchup or BBQ sauce in with it.  Delish!!!

This taco bake was incredibly yummy!  My husband and I scooped ours up with some nacho chips, but you could scoop yours right into some hard or soft taco shells or burritos!  Or, eat it as is!  Feel free to add other topping your might like, like shredded lettuce or jalapenos!! Mmmm!!!!  Because I cook for 2 little ones as well as my husband and myself, I try to keep the heat down.  So, although I LOVE jalapenos, I don't get to use them very often anymore :(

Taco Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, cooked, grease drained
2 pkg. taco seasoning
1 15.25oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 16oz. can refried beans
1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1-1 1/2 cup mexican blend shredded cheese
1 1/2 cups tortilla chips, crumbled

Directions:
Brown your ground beef in a pan.   Pour in one packet of taco seasoning and follow the directions on the back of the packet.
While that is cooking, drain and rinse your black beans
 and drain your tomatoes as well.

Mix the second package of taco seasoning with the refried beans.

Now, it's time to start assembling your taco bake!
Start by putting your ground beef on the bottom of your crock.
Layer your onions on top of that.
Place your black beans on top of the onions.
Next, place your tomatoes on top of that.
It's time for the refried bean mixture.  
Place spoon fulls of the refried beans all around.
Using the back of your spoon, press your refried beans flat to spread them around.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of that.
Lastly, place your crushed tortilla chips on top.
Cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or on HIGH for 2.5-3.5 hours.
Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!



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28 comments:

  1. Hope, this is just the yummiest dish ever!! Perfect for those HOT summer nights when you don't want to heat up the oven. Thanks so much! ~Mel in STL

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    1. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!!!! You are so welcome!

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  2. This sounds really good, but I don't like regular refried beans. Do you think I could use refried black beans instead?

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    1. FOr sure!!! Please come back and let me know how you liked it! :)

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  3. I wish there was a way to print this without all the pictures etc. I'm making it and running back to the computer for the next step. We are really looking forward to eating it.

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    1. You have to click the print friendly button. And if that doesn't work for you, you can always cut and paste the text into a word document!

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  4. I have this going in my crockpot right now and am looking forward to eating it! I was looking for something easy and fast to get going and I had everything already in my cabinets! :) Thanks so much for sharing! Have a great day!

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  5. Making this for dinner. My 12 year old is SO looking forward to it! I forgot to jot down ingredients to take with me to shop. He was with me and remembered everything I needed. He also had me grab some sour cream and shredded lettuce.

    I hope he is able to concentrate in class today. LOL!

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  6. My family loves this. We started mixing the refried beans with taco sauce and make our own mexican rice (tomato paste and a packet of taco seasoning added to cooked rice) to spoon the taco bake onto. This dish has so many other possibilities to keep it interesting! We have it at least once a month!

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    1. YUM! And yes, you are correct! There are so many ways to do this! I love that you're experimenting with it and that it makes your family happy! :)

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  7. It would be nice if a nutritional analysis could be available.

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    1. You are welcome to plug the ingredients into a program of your choice and get that information. I'm not a nutritionist. I'm just a mom, cooking for my family, and posting my recipes for all of you.

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  8. Hi.............this sounds really great. I think I will use chick peas instead of black beans. Call me stupid, but looking at the pictures of your crock pot it looks like you are lining the taco mix in some kind of plastic wrap???? What am I missing here..........lol

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    1. It's called a Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner. It makes for easy cleanup!

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    2. You can use oven bags also in lieu of slow cooker bags - less expensive and I sometimes find them at 99cent store.

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  9. Just made this last night and I have to say....IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!! Wow! Super tasty and MUCH better than the plain old tacos I always make! Thanks for sharing!!!! My husband said "It's a keeper"

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  10. Prepping this now for our snow storm! Looks yummy! Gonna turn it on early tomorrow morning!!

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  11. Gooingto try this tomorrow,, I'm on bed rest and trying to find easy things for hubby to put together. And this one looks great and a good way for us to use some of our grass fed ground beef if its good I'll get the stuff for after baby is born too! Are the layers super important? Are can I put stuff in a freezer bag? Except cheese and refried beans?

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    1. Honestly, layers aren't important. You could mix it all together and it would taste the same, LOL! You can even mix in the cheese (it freezes well) and just add the tortilla chips later!

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  12. Do the chips go in the crockpot to be cooked for 5-7 hrs? It looks like that in the picture, but I just wanted to clarify. Do they get soggy that way or do they end up still crunchy at the end because f the layering? I am trying to decide if I want to add them in before or after cooking. Thank you!

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  13. Looks great- will try! Can you do this without browning the meat before placing in the crockpot? Looking for ways to cut down the prep time in the morning...

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    1. You can cook the ground beef in advance and freeze it in Ziploc bags, 1 lb to a bag to facilitate use in various recipes.

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  14. last week I came across your blog. I tried the Taco Bake recipe and it was a huge success in my house. My family loved it so much they have asked for it again and I'm making it tomorrow. Your easy to follow instructions and pictures are great. Thank you!

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  15. I'm planning to make this, but will add Crumbles instead of ground beef. Hope this works

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  16. This recipe has been a staple of ours for a year now. Worth 7 kids I'm always looking at simple but delicious recipes that don't have me cooking in the kitchen for long periods but still keep the family happy and full. We make or own Mexican rice and top it with this casserole. Amazing! Thank you so much!

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    1. I'm always happy to hear this!! You are so very welcome!

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