Friday, April 27, 2007

Tillamook Casserole


This recipe comes from my Grandma Cummings and is an absolute favorite classic in my family. It's named for Tillamook cheese, the best to use for anything, but of course any brand will still be good. Growing up, this dish was simply referred to as "Casserole" because it's the only casserole we made; it wasn't until I was older and ate over at a friend's house that I learned "casserole" referred to a genre, and not the specific dish my Mom made.

The amounts below are for a round 2-quart casserole dish; you can adjust up or down for your size of dish. You can also try these variations: substitute whole wheat egg noodles, ground turkey or Morningstar veggie crumbles, and sometimes I like to add in a layer of black beans.

Tillamook Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 pkg taco seasoning, or to taste
2 small or 1 large can tomato sauce
8 oz (half a bag) egg noodles
1/2 bag frozen corn
8 oz (or more) grated cheddar cheese

1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
2. Brown the beef in a frying pan; drain grease. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce and stir to combine.
3. In a greased/sprayed casserole dish, layer: noodles, meat, corn, cheese. Repeat layers.
4. Bake, covered, at 350 for 45 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is warmed through. Sometimes I broil uncovered for a few minutes to make the cheese brown a little on top but it's a bummer if you forget about it in there...

Enjoy!!!

3 comments:

Dave Y said...

Mmmmm... casserole.

I always add extra cheese, and I've added olives, chipotles, green peppers, and a little onion with the meat for a southwestern variant.

Maren said...

As you may know, I make mine with a can of chili (minus the taco seasoning).

Jenny said...

Thanks for the recipe - I will definitly make it soon - we really liked it and it made a lasting impression obviously. :)

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