My goodness, this little lassie will put the kick back into your potluck roundup! This Spurs Casserole is certainly kicking back with some savory, flavor-riding flare! These here hotter-than-a-buckin’-bronco vittles are grounded with a beefy better-than-meatloaf-like foundation with a saddle blanket of creamy mashed potatoes, ladled with crispy bacon and crispy French-fried onions, and topped with a yee-haw mix of melted Mexican-blend cheeses. Howdyyyy! Now, that there Spurs Casserole is one rodeo of a dish!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup barbeque sauce, plus more, warmed, to taste, for serving
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (24-ounce) package garlic-seasoned steam-and-mash potatoes
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup crispy fried onions, canned
- 2/3 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
- fresh parsley, to taste, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the ground beef, the onion, the breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the barbeque sauce, the beaten egg, the chili powder, and the salt, stirring until well-mixed.
Step 4 –Transfer and gently press the ground beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Step 5 –Bake the beef mixture, uncovered, until cooked through, reading 135 degrees F when tested with a meat thermometer in its thickest part, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 6 –While the ground beef mixture is baking, microwave the potatoes according to the package instructions.
Step 7 –In a large bowl with a potato masher or electric hand mixer, add the hot potatoes, the evaporated milk, and the butter, and mash until smooth.
Step 8 –Add the bacon and the fried onions and stir to combine.
Step 9 –When the ground beef mixture is done baking, transfer it from the oven and carefully drain any excess grease from the baking dish before placing it on a wire rack.
Step 10 –With the oven rack 6-8-inches from the heat source, place the oven on the broil setting.
Step 11 –Evenly spread the mashed potato mixture on top of the baked ground beef mixture.
Step 12 –Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese.
Step 13 –Transfer the casserole to the oven and broil until the cheese is lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 14 –Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with the warmed barbeque sauce.
