Cowboy Casserole

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen

How about a new recipe for 2021? Not that changing the calendar does anything magical and makes the awful things of 2020 go away, but it is a convenient time to start or explore new things. This here recipe is not difficult and is mighty tasty.

It was given to me by Charlene Osborne. I'm giving her credit because, like other recipes, people start with the basic instructions and then make adjustments as they see fit. She made it hers. That's what you'll do. 

I understand that the version Charlene encountered at first was not exactly something to send a telegram home about.

The measurements are in the US Customary System. Y'all will have to do conversions your ownselves if you want things in millimetrics.

Product names listed are because she uses them, not because either of us is being paid to promote them. You savvy that, Sam?

 

Prep time is about 15 minutes, then it bakes for 25-30 minutes.

Cowboy Casserole Ingredients:

• 1 pound of hamburger (or ground turkey burger, or bison burger)
• 28-ounce Bush's barbecue baked beans
• 1/4 cup honey barbecue sauce or regular sauce if preferred (big name or store brand, whatever)
• 1 8-oz package fresh mushroom, about 2 cups (or your preference)
• 1/2 yellow onion (or your preference)
• 8 ounce package of shredded cheese (Colby-Monterey Jack, pizza blend, or similar)
• 1 tube of rolls (8-count), Grands by Pillsbury preferred

Instructions:

• Preheat oven at 350
• Slice or chop the mushroom and onion, then sauté
• Pan-fry the burger until brown, drain
• Mix burger, beans, sauce, mushrooms, onion in 9x9 square baking dish
• Do layers: layer of the mixture, then shredded cheese on top mixture with shredded cheese on top
• Repeat layers
• Split the biscuits the long way, spread out on top, do not overlap
• You can sprinkle some garlic and onion powders on top
• Bake for 25-30 minutes — you don't want under-cooked dough, but careful not to burn it
• Take pictures and share on social media because that's why social media exists

Unless you're serving a big group, you'll have a bit left over. That's fine, cover the now-cooled dish with plastic wrap and store it in the icebox. Reheating works well in microwave-safe bowls. You'll thank me later.

She wants it!
Image made at PhotoFunia