Taco Scalloped Potatoes

Who loves Scalloped Potatoes and Ham?

*waves hands wildly in the air*

But I don’t always have ham on hand (call me crazy but I only make scalloped potatoes and ham when I have baked ham on hand.  I could probably make it with store bought ham, but nope, never do.)

I was craving scalloped potatoes the other day, but didn’t want to let a lack of ham stop me, so I decided to make a twist on a favorite – taco style!

So really, it was two of the greatest things (scalloped potatoes and tacos) brought together in one glorious meal that’s sure to be made over and over again!

Taco Scalloped Potatoes

Taco Meat

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoomn chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

8 ounces tomato sauce

Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoon all purpose flour

2 cups lowfat milk

8 ounces sour cream

Salt & pepper, to taste

Potatoes

3 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced

1 (8 oz) block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a large baking dish (9x13) or two smaller ones (8x8 or so) to have one casserole to eat and one to freeze)).

To make the taco meat, place the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until meat is browned and onion is tender, breaking up the beef as it cooks.

Add tomato sauce, garlic, and spices.  Simmer approximately 5 minutes or until the excess liquid has reduced.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat

Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper to make a paste.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the milk.  Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened.  Set aside.

Layer about 1/3 of the sliced potatoes into the casserole dish.  Follow with 1/3 of the taco meat, 1 cup of cheese, and 1/3 of the milk mixture.  Repeat the layers until the ingredients are gone.

Cover the dish and bake for 60-75 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly, removing the cover for the last 10 minutes to crisp the top.