Doritos Nacho Cheese Taco Casserole

This gooey, creamy, cheesy casserole is layered with melt-in-your-mouth cheddar, lotsa motsa, zesty Mexican taco beef and beans, tart sour cream, and crunchy Doritos Nacho Cheese chips. Delicious!

• Fine mesh strainer
• 5-quart sauté frying pan
• Turner/spatula
• Scraper spatula
• 5-quart baking dish

Doritos are a Frito-Lay brand of seasoned tortilla chips made from ground corn and corn, soybean, and sunflower oils. The nacho cheese variety is spiced with salt and powdered forms of onion, tomato, garlic, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, cheddar and romano cheeses. The chips are crunchy and said to create “an explosion of nacho cheese flavor in your mouth."

Ground beef is made from cuts of cow, bull, heifer, or steer meat that has been minced or ground with a grinder. It's commonplace for ground beef to be made from less tender, less preferred cuts of meat. The grinding process tenderizes the tougher meat. Fatty cuts are included to curtail dryness and enhance flavor. Importunately, it is necessary that a cooking temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit is reached to destroy any bacteria that could cause illness.

There are four types of ground beef that can be purchased at the butcher or meat counter of your local grocery store (see table below). The higher the fat content, the more shrinkage will occur when cooking.

Taco seasoning is a blend of herbs and spices used to add Mexican zest to meat. The blend will include seasonings such as powdered chili pepper, cayenne pepper, onion, and garlic; additionally cumin, paprika, oregano, sugar, and salt. It can be purchased in mild to hot varieties.

Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are medium-sized beans that belong to the family of kidney beans. They are thought to have originated in the region of South America. They have a light brown hue with flecks or speckles of reddish-brown color; thus the name “pinto,” which translates to “painted” in Spanish. When heated, the specks or flecks fade and the bean turns a pinkish color. Pintos have a mild, earthy flavor and a creamy texture. Also referred to as red Mexican beans, they are often found in Mexican cuisine.

Mozzarella is a white, semi-soft, springy, stringy, supple, milky cheese which originated in southern Italy. It is made by adding rennet to fresh curds, then allowing them to rest and sour until the desired flavor is achieved. Following that, the curds are heated in water or whey until they become stringy and elastic. Next, it is stretched (a process called “pasta filata” which means “pulled paste” or “spun paste”) and kneaded, and finally shaped into round balls.

The two most common types of mozzarella are: 1) Fresh, which is made from whole milk and, due to its high moisture content, has a short shelf life. It has a very soft texture and a delicate, sweet flavor. And, 2) low moisture, part-skim (low fat) mozzarella which is factory produced and has a longer shelf life. It has a drier, more elastic texture and less delicate flavor.

Sour cream is made from milk cream that has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria. The lactic acid causes the cream to become sour and thickened. Other ingredients like gelatin and guar gum are sometimes added to thicken the cream. It is a bland, white, semi-liquid dairy product with a sour, tart, or tangy zip to it.

Cheddar cheese is a hard, compact, crumbly, off-white to pumpkin-orange colored cheese that melts in your mouth. Its rich flavor ranges from creamy, mild, and mellow to sharp and pungent depending on how long it has been aged. Originating from Cheddar Village, Somerset, United Kingdom, it is now produced worldwide. It is most often made from whole cow’s milk. An enzyme called rennet is added to the milk so that it coagulates into curd (a custardy solid) and separates from whey (a watery liquid). The curd is then kneaded with salt, pressed through a mill, cut, stacked, and allowed to age. The longer the cheddar ages, the sharper and drier (more crumbly) it becomes.