If you haven’t had this, served fresh in an opened Fritos bag, you haven’t experienced the cheesy delight of sorta-Mexican fun food. Now you can enjoy the experience with the whole family while only having to buy one bag of Fritos (a big one). And yes, it has to be Fritos, since generic corn chips don’t have that special salty-spicy flavor. Feel free to substitute or amplify ingredients: I always add more garlic, and chili powder to taste works instead of taco seasoning. Shredded “Mexican” cheese will also work with this.

 Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic (or more), minced

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, with or without green chilies

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups Fritos corn chips

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Sour cream and salsa, for serving (optional)

Instructions

·       Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

·       In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat if needed. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and cook for 3 - 4 minutes until the onion is softened.

·       Stir in the kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.

·       Spread half of the Fritos corn chips in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the beef and bean mixture over the Fritos, spreading it evenly. Top with the remaining Fritos and sprinkle the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses over the top.

·       Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

·       Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro if you want. Serve with sour cream and salsa if desired.