Tex-Mex Casserole with Crescent Roll Crust

Although I intended to post a recipe for soup, I changed my mind once I began searching through my refrigerator. As I “dug around”, I found ground beef, crescent rolls, a left-over green pepper, half an onion, some button mushrooms, a half a bag of shredded cheese and some sour cream. My mind started “percolating” even more as I rummaged through my cupboards and found a can of tomato paste, a can of diced tomatoes and a can of cannellini beans. Bingo – with a little imagination and a dash of spices, this could turn into something deliciously Tex-Mex!! (I also had a small can of black olives, which I forgot to put in. Maybe they weren’t meant to be part of the recipe!!)

I think you’re gonna like this Tex-Mex Casserole with Crescent Roll Crust – it’s hearty, spicy and filling.   And – you might already have most of the ingredients. Enjoy!

++ UPDATE  A ‘Reddit” reader from Texas commented that, in Texas, they use Pinto beans or even black beans & they don’t use mushrooms. I appreciate their input… I’ll just consider this my version of “Tex-Mex”.   Hey – I like mushrooms !!  ; o )

Oven at 350F        Large Casserole       Cook for 25 – 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can (19 oz.) cannellini or kidney beans – DRAINED and RINSED
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce with basil, garlic & oregano
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano – DRAINED
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne pepper)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheese – any type will do – I had Four Cheese Pizza Style
• 1 package Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  
• paprika – for color, if desired

Place 1 Tbs. olive oil In a large skillet and, over medium heat, cook pepper and onion until softened – about 8 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for another few minutes, then add 1 lb. ground beef. Continue cooking and stirring until ground beef is totally cooked. Add the next nine ingredients – rinsed, drained cannellini (or kidney) beans through to 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Pour approximately HALF of the mixture into a large casserole – or 10″ x 13″ pan. Sprinkle two cups shredded cheese over the meat mixture, and then spread on the rest of the meat mixture.

Unroll the crescent rolls and place them on top of the meat in a single layer. Sprinkle crescent rolls with a bit of paprika, for color, if desired. 

Cook in a 350F oven for between 25 – 35 minutes. Beef mixture will be bubbly and the crescent rolls will be a deeper brown and less fluffy than usual.   To be sure the crescent rolls are fully cooked, use a fork and lift up a section in the middle. If the crescent rolls aren’t fully cooked, just continue to cook a few minutes more until they are.   Enjoy !!