Creamy Enchilada Casserole

Source: adapted from Slow-Cooker Cookbook by Debbie G. Harmon, a gift from my Grandma Elwood

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

15 corn tortillas

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

2 cups cheese, grated

1 large can enchilada sauce (I used this homemade version because I didn't have the canned stuff on hand)

sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa for toppings

Directions:

Brown meat with salt and pepper to taste.  Drain.  Mix with onions and garlic.  In a small bowl mix cream o' mushroom soup with milk.  In slow-cooker, layer tortillas (I did five per layer, kind of overlapping each other and folding up the side slightly), soup-milk mixture, ground beef, 1/2 cup cheese, and enchilada sauce.  Repeat for 3 layers total.  Top with remaining cheese.  Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours (I find my slow-cooker to be on the hotter side, so our casserole was done closer to 2) or low 6-8 hours.  Serve with sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes and salsa.

Notes:

I had some leftover corn tortillas that I was wondering how to use up, and it was a hot day that I didn't really feel like turning on the oven for, when I remembered this book from my grandma and peeked inside to see if there were any good ideas floating around there.  Bingo!  Just what I needed.  This recipe reminded me quite a bit of a similar Dutch oven enchilada recipe that I grew up making at home.  But I liked the twist of the corn tortillas in this one.  I admit I had my doubts that it would turn out okay since I was using the homemade enchilada sauce that tasted weird by itself, and when it was cooked it really did not look that pretty (hence no picture), but Gregg gobbled it right up.  In fact, he kind of raved about it.  It's just his kind of food - good flavor and all mushed together.  :)