Cooking Thursday ~ Serbian Ground Beef

I'm joining up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay At Home Mom for Cooking Thursday.  It's a great spot to share recipes and find new ones to try.  Everytime I make this recipe my family raves about it. The spices are so different to any other casserole I've tried and the potatoes just get so soft and lovely.  It's easy to put together and lends nicely to left overs.  I've adapted it portion wise to how it best suits our family and I either leave out the red wine from the original recipe or use apple juice instead. We've also found that we preferred kernel corn to the shredded carrot (used one time in a panic when I discovered no carrots in the fridge) that the original recipe called for but the carrot is delicious too.  I'm sure using both would be equally tasty.

SERBIAN GROUND BEEF
(adapted from All Recipes)

- 3/4 kg (1 1/2 lbs.) lean ground beef
-1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 large green or red bell pepper, chopped
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 large carrot, shredded
-3 stalks celery, chopped
-1/2 tsp. salt
-2 1/2 tsp. paprika
-1 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
-1 1/2 pinch ground cinnamon
-1 1/2  pinch ground cloves
-1/4 cup water
-3 Tbsp. Red Wine or water
-1 1/2 pkgs beef boullion **
-4 Tbsp. half and half cream
-5 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Lightly butter a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Scramble fry the ground beef in a saute skillet.  Drain and set aside.  Add olive oil to skillet, heat and add onion, celery, carrot or corn, and green (red) pepper.  Cook stirring until celery is tender.  Add the remaining ingredients except half and half and potatoes and simmer on low for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile peel and slice potatoes.  Place one layer into the prepared baking dish.  Remove meat mix from heat and stir in half and half.  Pour meat mixture over the potato base.  Layer remaining potatoes on top.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Let sit a few minutes before serving.

Wonderful served with a green salad and mild tasting dressing.

**NOTES:  - can add 1 cup frozen corn if desired

                  - I prefer 1 1/2 tsp.  "Better Than Boullion" Organic Roasted Beef Base