Mom's Tortilla Chip Casserole With Ground Beef

Your basic Tex-Mex casserole. Optional add-ins: layer in black beans, corn, cilantro; add garlic when browning the onion and meat. No cottage cheese on hand? Increase the sour cream to 1-3/4 cup and beat in one egg with it.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 9 X 12 casserole

Ingredients

• 2  lbs  extra lean ground beef
• 1  onion, chopped
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1  teaspoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1  cup sour cream
• 1  cup cottage cheese
• 1 (4 ounce) can  chopped green chilies
• 2 (3 7/8ounce) cans  sliced black olives
• 1  lb cheddar cheese
• 8  ounces tortilla chips

Directions

1. Brown the meat and onion; drain. Add salt, chili powder, cumin and tomato sauce. Simmer 10 minutes.
2. Butter a 9" X 13" casserole pan. Crush tortilla chips, place half of them on bottom of dish. Add meat sauce, then layer with sour cream, cottage cheese, chilies and olives. Top with cheddar cheese, then remaining chips.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.