Mexican Haystacks and Frito Pie

I make two recipes using the same meat and bean sauce.
This is not traditional Mexican food by any means but it has a Mexican flair.

Meat and Bean Sauce:

1 lb lean ground beef
1 tablespoon Canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Taco seasoning to taste
Red pepper chili flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1 can (14 1/2 oz) pinto beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Fresh chopped cilantro

Toppings:

Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped green onions or yellow onions
Sliced ripe olives
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Salsa verde
Red salsa
Fritos
Snipped fresh cilantro

For the meat:

In a medium saucepan, cook the meat breaking any lumps until cooked through. If not using lean meat, drain the fat. Add oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic and taco seasoning to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat stirring frequently.

Stir in the tomato sauce and beef broth. Bring the meat mixture to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes stirring now and then. Add the beans, oregano, red chili flakes and the cornstarch mixture and cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce and heat the beans through.

Stir in some fresh chopped cilantro and serve.

How to serve:

1. If making Mexican Haystacks: Put some hot cooked rice on a plate, some meat and bean sauce on top and them preferred toppings.

2. If making Frito Pie: Put a big amount of Fritos on a plate and then top with desired toppings (no rice).

Make 6 servings