Oh my gosh, my guys LOVED this beefy Tex Mex Cowboy Casserole. It really brought out the Cowboy in them! This easy casserole is packed with Tex Mex flavors and textures, from the smooth sour cream to the crunchy tortilla chips.
112 oz. jar chunky salsa, hot or mild, whichever you prefer
12.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained (Save out a few of the black olives for garnishing the top of the casserole)
1cup cottage cheese
1cup sour cream
2 1/2cupscrushed tortilla chips (about 5 cups of whole chips)
2cupssharp cheddar cheese, divided use
1/2 red or green bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, diced
1small tomato, diced
3 green onions, chopped
additional tortilla chips for garnish, as desired
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Over medium high heat in a heavy skillet, brown ground beef well until fully cooked and no pink remains; drain fats.
Stir in the corn, chunky salsa and all but 2 tablespoons of the black olives; continue cooking the ground beef mixture for a couple of additional minutes until the mixture it is hot throughout. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese and sour cream. In a 2-quart greased baking dish, place 1/2 of the crushed chips, then 1/2 of the meat mixture, then 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, then 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture; repeat the layers once more.
Cover the casserole with foil and bake on the center rack for 30 minutes. Remove the foil; top with the remaining cheddar cheese, tomatoes, black olives, and bell pepper.
Return the casserole to the oven, uncovered, for 2 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted, taking care not to let the chips burn. Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with green onions. If desired, line the outer edge of the baking dish with whole tortilla chips before serving.