Anybody else have a husband who “won’t eat it if it’s a casserole” ?
My sister-in-law, Kari, told me of this recipe idea…but she said, “You can’t call it a casserole, or Randy won’t eat it!” Apparently it’s a common theme with husbands. Many don’t like casseroles.
(My husband on the other hand…would probably eat it no matter what you called it. If there’s food in it…he likes it.)
So as Kari was making this, she decided… “It’s layered like a lasagna. I think I’ll call it Enchilada Lasagna.” (Fun name….I like it!)
Hey…call it whatever you want to. This dish is simple to prepare…really yummy to eat…and is great to make ahead of time, freeze, thaw and bake.
I LOVE Make Ahead Casser Meals!
Beefy Enchilada Bake (aka Enchilada Lasagna)
1 lb. Ground hamburger meat
3 T. arrowroot powder or flour
1/2 cup water
1-2 t. chili powder (depending on your taste)
salt
3 cups tomato sauce
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
12 corn tortillas
Brown hamburger meat. Do not drain grease! Put cooked hamburger meat in separate bowl, salt and set aside. Sprinkle arrowroot powder into the grease and stir (if you do not have enough grease to absorb the arrowroot powder, add 2 T. butter). Keep your burner on medium to high heat. Pour in water and “smoosh” the clumps of arrowroot powder/grease around while you stir the water in. This will thicken and make a gravy. Pour in tomato sauce and chili powder. Stir well until bubbly. This is now your enchilada sauce!
Cut corn tortillas into one inch strips. Dip tortilla strips in enchilada sauce and coat thoroughly. Cover bottom of baking dish with enchilada sauce coated tortilla strips. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cooked ground beef over the tortillas…then a little cheese. Repeat layers twice more: enchilada sauce coated tortilla strips, meat, cheese. If you have any leftover enchilada sauce, drizzle it over the top.
Cover and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until bubbly.
There you go…a great meal that you can make ahead of time…and pull out when you need it!
Because I’ve had several requests for more meals like this…and because I LOVE having meals like this…I’ve been playing a lot in my kitchen to come up with more great recipes that can save you time and energy! I’ll keep these recipes coming!
But I’m curious…does your family eat “casseroles”? Because I can come up with anti-casserole names. I’ll go think of some now…
(Easy Chicken HooHaa; Tasty Noodley Goodley; Cheesy Pleasey Chicken; Chunky Beef Bucket…)
Be sure to check out Rocks in my Dryer for more Works for me Wednesday tips!
(Turkey Salad Surprise ; Couch Potato Cuisine…)
Technorati Tags: beefy enchilada bake, make ahead meals, freezer meal
Kate says:
Great post Laura. That, ahem, bake, looks delicious! My husband will eat casseroles (my dad never, ever would though). But, for some reason he will not eat goulash. So, in our house, anything that in any way resembles goulash is called “stuff in a pan.”
April 29th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Char says:
Looks fantastic - we’re definitely having this soon! Now, do I freeze it AFTER I bake it? (See, I’m homemaking impaired). And please do share lots and lots more of these kinds of recipes! I want to start making a double batch every time I make one of these, so I always have an extra something in the freezer.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Org Junkie says:
Mmmmmm, sounds yummy. I love casseroles and thankfully so does hubbie!!
April 30th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Jennie says:
Thanks! This sounds great. I love recipes with basic ingredients that I can actually get overseas. I’ll have to make the tortillas, but I can get everything else. We really enjoy Mexican food so I’m sure this will be a hit.
April 30th, 2008 at 3:46 am
The Happy Housewife says:
This looks similar to something I make. I can call it whatever I want because my husband will eat anything!
April 30th, 2008 at 5:45 am
Heather - Doodle Acres says:
My husband doesn’t mind casseroles as long as it’s food, too!!!
Wanted to tell you that my family loved the onion ring recipe with the whole wheat flour and I love the menu templates you shared. Your blog is quickly becoming one of my favorites!!! Thank you and please keep the recipes coming!!!
April 30th, 2008 at 5:59 am
Memarie Lane says:
My husband doesn’t care about the name of theh dish, but he won’t eat anything that’s “all mixed up.” He likes his food separate. I make casseroles anyway, and when he complains I just tell him “oh frickin well! Sometimes we’re going to eat stuff I like too!”
April 30th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Kai says:
Yum! I don’t eat beef, but I can definitely use soy crumbles in this recipe for a similar effect. I can’t wait to try it!
April 30th, 2008 at 8:29 am
The Apron Queen says:
Oh yum! Sounds delicious.
I’m giving surfing lessons today. Come see!
http://anapronaday.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-to-surf-waves-surfing-lessons-101.html
April 30th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Jodi says:
my hubby actually LOVEs casseroles - probably more than I do. i love finding new recipes that work to fix 2 at one time…one to eat and one “casserole” to freeze. Love it! thanks and happy experimenting!
April 30th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Diane says:
My husband will eat it if it’s food, too. Doesn’t care what it is called. I’m thankful.
He would kiss my feet if I made this for him. Think I’ll get a pedicure.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:52 am
wendy says:
We make this, and my family loves it. Just a note on things to add/change to make it different. We add yellow hominy and/or black beans - so good. You can use tortilla chips instead of the tortillas (not cheep or healthy but okay in a pinch.) It’s also so different but yummy if you use chicken, green enchalida sauce, sour cream and a can of green chilies.
April 30th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Jennifer says:
My husband will not eat casseroles either. That’s funny! This looks yummy - can’t wait to try it. Looks right up our alley.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:05 am
candace says:
How would you go about freezing something like this for the best results, pre-bake or post?
Thanks for the recipe.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Laura says:
I freeze it BEFORE I bake it…and it worked great!
April 30th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Brenda says:
Laura, you probably already do this, but in case you don’t I thought I’d share…!
When I make make-ahead things like these, I like to line the pan with foil, leaving enough excess foil sticking out that I can wrap it over and around the entire casserole/bake/whatever. I stick it in the freezer overnight and then take the entire cassrole, wrapped in foil, right out of the dish and then stick it in a Ziploc and write what it is on the outside.
That way my pan isn’t stuck waiting in the freezer until we eat that particular casserole!
One other hot tip… !:)
You can pre-assemble casseroles like this in a 5 qt ice cream bucket. Start by lining the bucket with Saran wrap, and then put together a casserole in it. Next, fold the Saran down over the casserole… and then do it again by placing another lining of Saran Wrap in there so you can make another casserole in the bucket that sits right on top of the last one… and then if there is still room, do a third one!
In the end, you’ll have three casseroles all ready to go, stacked one on top of the other, individually wrapped and in an air-tight ice cream bucket.
Why do this? Well… the inside of the ice cream bucket is the same size as the inside of a standard round crock pot! Just take one out of the bucket, unwrap it stick it in the crockpot on low in the morning, and have supper ready that night!
Easy squeazy!
I got that idea here years ago - it’s the “Ice Cream Bucket Lasagna” recipe. http://snider.mardox.com/classics.htm
April 30th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Joelle says:
My husband likes casseroles, but doesn’t like Mexican food. So… hmmm… I could make this but call it casserole instead of enchilada. He just doesn’t like beans and cheese. Since this has neither, maybe we can do this one. (We’re also vegetarian, but I think I can find a substitute vege-meat to use.)
April 30th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Marie says:
My husband will eat anything, no matter the name. Well except eggplant. Which is really a bummer because I love eggplant lasagna!
Also Thank You Brenda for the pointers. Cooking is not one of those things that comes naturally to me. Thanks to you now all of my casserole dishes won’t be in the freezer!
April 30th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Kelly says:
looks yummy! your alternate names cracked me up-hoohaa, bucket-heehee!
April 30th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Sonshine says:
LOL!!! Not only do I have a hubby that won’t eat casseroles, I have kids that won’t eat them either!
That looks yummy!
May 1st, 2008 at 6:55 am