Simple Hamburger Casserole
I made this on Jan 22, 06 for Michelle. She gave this two thumbs up. We will be having it again. And it really does go together fairly quickly.
I made this on Jan 22, 06 for Michelle. She gave this two thumbs up. We will be having it again. And it really does go together fairly quickly.
- Carbohydrate 12.6846 g
- Cholesterol 153.964759166667 mg
- Fat 54.210885 g
- Fiber 1.46199997067451 g
- Protein 36.6394941706667 g
- Saturated Fat 23.2834796165667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (327g)
- Sodium 1236.87771263333 mg
- Sugar 11.2226000293255 g
- Trans Fat 11.467101323 g
- Calories 689 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix the soup, milk, and soup mix in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Brown the ground beef, then drain.
- In a casserole dish layer the ground beef, mushrooms, green beans, and tater tots. Pour the soup mix over the top. Sprinkle with cheese, and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 325* for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Standard recipes rarely warn cooks about the importance of pan capacity, which dictates how liquids boil down rather than spill over during a prolonged bake. Selecting a proper three-quart baking dish ensures the contents sit deep enough for the dairy and starches to meld without bubbling onto your oven floor. Because the dish spends ninety minutes enclosed at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, aluminum foil acts as a moisture trap that steams the frozen green beans and potatoes before the final browning phase. When covering the vessel, crimp the foil tightly around the rim to prevent steam from escaping prematurely and drying out the ground beef. Cooks frequently ruin this preparation by omitting the initial draining step after browning the meat, leaving excess rendered fat that separates from the mushroom soup and creates an oily pool instead of a cohesive sauce. Controlling this variable requires pressing the cooked beef in a colander with the back of a wooden spoon to extract residual grease before assembly. Another common error involves applying high heat, which causes the dairy proteins in the cheddar cheese to curdle and separate into a tough, greasy crust rather than melting smoothly into a velvety blanket over the tater tots. Sharp cheddar contains less moisture than mild varieties, meaning it browns faster and resists oil separation better when subjected to extended baking times. Allowing the baked casserole to rest for ten minutes off the heat allows the internal starches to gelatinize fully, transforming loose layers into clean, structured portions that hold their shape upon serving.
