Autumn can be busy, as we dive into the back-to-school swing, fall sports and feel the pressure to get outside and enjoy the great weather before winter arrives. These jam-packed days leave me looking for quick, comforting dinner recipes with minimal ingredient lists and crowd-pleasing flavors. If this scenario sounds familiar, I think I may have just the dish to solve everything. It’s simple, but still has tons of flavor and spice. Oh, and there are cheese fries involved. Who on earth does not love cheesy fries?
To start, round up your ingredients (see exact list of ingredients below).
Brown the beef and chopped onion in a large, oven-proof skillet.
Once the beef is browned, add the tomato paste, tomatoes and seasonings. Stir it up and let it cook a few minutes more.
Stir in the pinto beans. Feel free to substitute any of your favorite beans—black or kidney would be great!
Smooth the chili out and a third of the cheese and half the fries.
Add a little more cheese and the rest of the fries.
Top with the remaining cheese.
Carefully remove skillet from oven and let stand for five minutes.
Serve in bowls or plates sprinkled with crumbled bacon and chopped red onion.
Ingredients
-
-
1teaspoon olive oil
-
1lb lean ground beef or chicken
-
1small onion, diced
-
1/4cup canned Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste
-
1can (14 oz) Muir Glen™ organic crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
-
1pouch (1 oz) chili seasoning mix
-
1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1can (14 oz) pinto beans, drained, rinsed
-
3cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (12 oz)
-
1bag (16 oz) Cascadian Farm™ frozen organic crinkle cut French fries
-
Cooked crumbled bacon
-
Chopped red onion
Directions
-
1Heat oven to 425°F.
-
2In 10-inch cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and onion. Brown all over, breaking up meat as you go. Once meat is browned and onions are soft, add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Stir it all up, and then stir in the chili seasoning mix, Worcestershire sauce and pinto beans. Heat to a simmer, and cook about 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened and is bubbling. Remove from heat.
-
3Smooth the chili out into an even layer in skillet, and sprinkle with one-third of the Cheddar cheese. Add half of the frozen French fries over top, and then add another one-third of the cheese. Finally add the remaining French fries and the remaining cheese. Place skillet in oven, and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until French fries are cooked through and cheese is melted and golden. Remove from oven, and allow to stand 5 minutes. Serve in bowls or plates sprinkled with crumbled bacon and chopped red onion.
View Recipe Page