Meet the PNW’s casserole queen and make her winning hot dish. #k5evening
SUMNER, Wash. — A Sumner mother of six who learned to stretch ground beef to feed her family has earned top honors for her casserole recipe.
Bette Sullivan’s Crunchy Tex-Mex Casserole was named the “World’s Best Casserole” by Allrecipes.com, beating more than 100 other casserole contenders.
“I’m the casserole ambassador. World casserole ambassador,” Sullivan laughed.
Devon O’Brien, editorial director of news at Allrecipes.com, said Sullivan’s recipe stood out for its accessibility and flavor profile.
“She did a great job of using pantry staples to make it really easy and convenient — and she nailed the flavors and textures,” O’Brien said.
The dish features a cornmeal base topped with chicken, vegetables and cheese, then finished with crushed corn chips and creamy ranch dressing.
“We love that it had that cornmeal base. It’s soft but it’s topped with that hearty chicken and vegetable base, then of course you have that gooey cheese element in there,” O’Brien said. “Then it’s topped with the crunchy corn chips and that cream ranch.”
Sullivan’s casserole expertise developed from years of feeding a large family on a tight budget.
“When you’ve got six sons and you’ve got to feed them, and you’re very broke and you’ve got to pound a hamburger, it’s like, what do you do? So you find a way to stretch it,” she said. “Casserole is the answer.”
While Sullivan didn’t become wealthy from her winning recipe, she did receive $500. More importantly, she’s pleased to see the budget-stretching dishes that fed her family gaining popularity.
“It’s pretty cool!” Sullivan said.
O’Brien said casseroles have undergone a cultural shift in recent years.
“Casseroles went from this dinner that people would make fun of to being something that people want to eat, and are excited to eat,” she said. The dish’s ability to feed a crowd easily makes it a practical choice for home cooks.
Sullivan’s son David said he’s proud to see his mother’s cooking recognized beyond the family table.
“I think it’s awesome that the rest of the world can now cook something that she has done, not just us that know her,” he said.
For Sullivan, cooking has always been about more than just food.
“It’s love,” she said. “I’ve always told my kids, you know, you might not get a high school yearbook, but I’ll feed you. You know, you will always have food. And it’ll be good food.”
In the casserole queen’s kitchen, a clean plate equals happy hearts.
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Dining and Cooking