Recipe - Deep Dish Taco Squares

SO yummy and tastes nothing like tacos
I'm crazy about this recipe!

My friend, Shirley Siddall, gave me this recipe many yrs ago and I always wondered why it was called Taco Squares, since it has no chili powder in it and tastes nothing like tacos. I'm not crazy about taco flavoring, and I guess that's why I love this dish. It was one of my family's favorites so I decided to fix this for another family last night (first time in yrs) and remember why I love it so much. It's hearty and has all the ingredients I like. My recipe card is smeared with food and water making it barely readable. I'm sure you know how that is. So I decided to see if  I could find the recipe on the web, since it's an old Bisquick recipe. Now I know why it's called Taco Squares. The original recipe has taco seasoning in the meat, but I still like it much better without the taco seasoning. I've added more cheese and black olives to my friend's recipe, and maybe you can come up with your own version.

This recipe will remind you of fresh tomato pie that is SO yummy! (But with added ground beef)

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2/3 cup Hellman's mayonnaise  (not salad dressing)
• 1 cup sour cream (I added a little more sour cream and mayonnaise)
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 cups Biscuit baking mix
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2- 3 tomatoes, sliced
• 1/3 cup sliced black olives
• 
  
• Update: (4/2/24) since I'm by myself this time I decided to make only ½ the recipe (in a square brownie pan) & had the idea to use puff pastry this time to make it easier, than spreading wet dough with my fingers in the pan. It's in the over now & I'll come back and comment how it turned out.
• Update: it turned out great with the puff pastry & using that made it quicker and easier to make this dish!

Directions

• Heat oven to 375º. Cook and stir ground beef til brown; drain. While beef is cooking, grease oblong baking dish (13"x 9"x 2"). Mix sour cream, mayonnaise and onion. Add 1½ cups of the cheese, reserving ½ cup for the top. Set aside this mixture. 
•  Mix baking mix and water, until soft dough forms. Pat in pan, pressing dough ½" up sides. (Note: Spreading the dough will be easier if you sprinkle a little baking mix on your fingers and on top of the dough, as you do this). Layer beef, sliced tomatoes and green pepper on top of dough that's in the pan. Spoon sour cream mixture over top. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese and black olives over sour cream mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25-35 minutes or until bottom crust is golden brown. (I cooked this for 35 minutes) 
• Serve with a tossed salad. I used Spicy Ranch Dressing with the salad and it goes well with the dish. 
•  Hope you enjoy it! Let me know if your family likes it.
• Yield: 10-12 servings.