This hearty casserole comes from an out-of-print Weight Watchers cookbook, Simply the Best, 250 Prize-Winning Family Recipes. I bought the cookbook at a WW meeting in 1997 and have used it so many times over the years it's now falling apart.
The original recipe called for nonfat shredded Cheddar cheese, which I find unpalatable. I used reduced-fat Cheddar cheee, which raises the WW Points but is totally worth it.
Our son often requested this for dinner when he was in high school. He didn't care if it was low in WW Points or calories. All he cared about was that it was good! Who doesn't love meat and potatoes, albeit healthy ones?
Be sure to slice the potatoes as thin as you can or they may take longer in the oven to fully cook. I used a mandoline for slicing mine. I also used a 9 X 11-inch baking dish instead of a 9 X 13-inch. It was minimally smaller, so I had an extra layer of potatoes and meat mixture. No harm, no foul. Use what you have on hand.
Top this cassrerole with your favorite salsa. A dollop of light sour cream wouldn't hurt either.
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (90% or leaner)
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
8 scallions, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped (I used Roma tomatoes)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
3/4 cup nonfat (or reduced-fat) shredded Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil and add the beef, bell peppers and scallions. Cook, stirring as needed, until the beef is browned and the veggies are softened, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.
Starting with the potatoes, arrange alternate layers of potatoes and beef mixture in the baking dish, ending with the beef mixture. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover and sprinkle evenly with the Cheddar cheee. Bake until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 10 more minutes.
Serves 4
WW Points per serving with nonfat cheese: 1
WW Points per serving with reduced-fat cheese: 3