Episode 6

Cowboy Casserole and how to leave a legacy.

Victoria’s oldest son became intrigued with cowboy Roy Rogers at age three. So every plate of food suddenly had to have a western name attached to it; this was one of his favorites thus Cowboy Casserole.

What You’ll Need

  • Skillet and Spoon

  • Cutting Board and Knife

  • Mixing Bowl and Spoon

  • Stock pot and strainer

  • 9" x 13" Casserole Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Ground beef

  • 1 medium onion

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 1 poblano pepper

  • 3 cups cheddar cheese

  • 1 can tomato soup

  • 3 cups wide egg noodles

  • 1 1/2 cup frozen corn

  • salt & pepper

Directions for Cowboy Casserole

1. Brown ground beef with chopped onion, crushed garlic, chopped poblano pepper, salt and pepper.

2. Pour off any fat.

3. Boil noodles in stock pot and drain. Set aside.

4. Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese, tomato soup (do not dilute) and corn into meat mixture.

5. Add this mixture to the cooked and drained noodles in a large mixing bowl.

6. Pour entire mixture in casserole dish and bake for 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, cover top of casserole with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese then return to oven for remaining 10-15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

I love when food traditions and recipes are passed down through a family. I have some wonderful recipes from both my grandmothers. My maternal grandmother Nanny would cook without measuring cups and would sift baking ingredients through her fingers, she just cooked and baked till it “looked right”. My mother would tell the story about trying to create Nanny’s cornbread which was my father’s favorite. Mama just couldn’t get the right proportions so one day she stood beside Nanny to “catch” the ingredients in a pan as Nanny was making cornbread, measure it out then wrote it down. That’s how we have that treasured family recipe.