Cheesy Beef Bake with a Twist

I love my cheesy beef bake - you know, the one with browned beef covered with sliced potatoes. It's perfect if you're in a rush, but it's a bit pedantic on the "wow" factor. Here's the stepped up version!

Heat the oven to 350*F, and in a deep-sided oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 poblano or mild pepper of your choice, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
Cook on medium heat until the onion sweetens and the pepper softens. Need to sneak in more veggies? Add finely chopped kale, carrots or spinach and let it melt in.

Add:
4-6 sundried tomatoes (to your taste - don't have? Use tomato paste)
1-3 anchovies (paste or stored in oil - not the tinned kind!)
Chop these, add them to the onions and pepper - give them a little time on medium heat to make friends.

***STOP*** If you stop reading this recipe because of the anchovies, shame on you. Try them! Try just one filet for now. I promise - they do not taste fishy at all! They actually melt into the oil and add a very mild nutty flavor to the dish. Can't do it - then don't! Though someday I hope you will...

Add:
1/4 pound (or more) fresh ground Italian sausage (we use mild - you can use chicken, turkey, whatever)
1/2 pound ground beef

Get in there and get some stress relief - use your potato masher to break the meat into fine bits so the beef and sausage mix well. Sprinkle on your favorite chili powder (Penzey's 3000 for us), smoked paprika, adobo powder, a little salt, some Aleppo or red pepper flakes, and black pepper to your liking.

While this mixture spends some time getting happy, slice up 5-7 medium potatoes. Add a layer of potato slices over the meat, sprinkle with salt and Parmesan or cheddar cheese. Continue to layer the potato, salt, cheese until the pan is full or you're out of potatoes.

Pour 1 can of evaporated (NOT sweeten condensed) milk, or an equal amount of half-and-half, over the whole shootin' match, then slide into that nice warm oven for 45-60 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender. Serve with a side salad, and voila! Enjoy!