Oh boy, are we excited about the fall! Today marks the Autumnal Equinox aka the first official day of fall. Though we are transitioning out of the hot, muggy days of summer into the cooler days of fall, it’s still a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors, and the last bits of sunlight before winter comes. Personally, we like curling up with a nice hot cup of coffee and a book and watching the leaves burst out into a color parade of reds, oranges and yellows. In the evenings, it’s fun to cook up a hearty recipe that can be enjoyed for days, like this Meat, Bean & Potato Casserole.
We want to wish you a happy first day of fall with this delicious, hearty and irresistibly cheesy casserole dish from our food blogger Amber. This recipe has all the basics you need to make a great casserole that appeals to the masses — meat, potatoes and cheese. We’d love to hear what you think about this recipes, so feel free to send us your thoughts!
If you’d like to see more of Amber’s recipes, you can visit her blog, A Ginger in the Kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Randall Great Northern Beans, rinsed
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 Tbsp.minced garlic
- 1 (16-oz.) can whole tomatoes, crushed with the juice
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot, place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return the potatoes to the pot. Set over low heat and add the butter, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the black pepper, and 1/4 cup of the milk. Mash with a potato masher over medium-low heat to incorporate the ingredients until the mixture is smooth but slightly lumpy. Set aside.
- In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring, until well browned. Add the onions and the celery, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Pour in the meat mixture and top with the remaining mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 1 hour.
Casseroles are perfect for fall!
