Quesadilla Casserole

I talked to my Grandma Grimes recently and she mentioned that a few of my cousins have seemed to hit the "I'm making a cookbook!" stage of life. She remembers hitting that stage around their age, and ironically, I was thinking of doing the same thing recently. 

It's not because I think I'm an amazing chef or some inspired baker that can create all kinds of unique creations.

Let's be honest. I'm not.

But for me, making a cookbook sounds intriguing because I have finally been cooking on my own long enough to have "favorite recipes". The kind of recipes I turn to over and over again because they're either simple, tasty, or both!

This recipe is one of those recipes.

Quesadilla Casserole is super easy to make and everyone in the family enjoys it. Aaand, it always goes too quick for me to get a better picture, so... that's what we got. Lol.

Although I found the original recipe for Quesadilla Casserole online, I've made a few changes that I stick to every time I make this. And to make sure I never forget "my version" what better way than to record it on here?

First, brown and drain 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey on the stove. (We cook most of our meat ahead of time and freeze it in individual bags for easy use during the week.) Next, combine all of the ingredients except for the tortillas and cheese in the saucepan. Heat to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Once the mixture has thickened, spread 1/2 cup of it in the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Arrange 3 tortillas on top of that. I usually rip a tortilla in half to put down to cover the edges a little better. 

Spread half of the meat mixture over the tortillas followed by 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat with 3 more tortillas, the rest of the meat mixture, and 1/2 cup of cheese.

Bake at 350° F for 15 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. 

With how easy and good it is, Quesadilla Casserole is for sure one of the first recipes I will put in my cookbook. If I ever get around to making one that is! Lol.