Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with pan spray.
• Add the ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no pink remains, breaking it into pieces as it cooks. Stir in the salt and pepper.
• Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft. Drain off the fat and turn off the heat.
• Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, placing the slices into a large bowl of cold water.
• In a medium bowl whisk together the evaporated milk, cream of mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup.
• Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with clean paper towels before layering half of the potatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Layer half of the meat mixture over the potatoes, then half of the sauce, followed by 1 ½ cups of the cheese. Repeat the layers using the remaining half of the potatoes, meat, sauce, and the remaining 1 ½ cups of cheese.
• Top with the fried onions before covering the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 75-80 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the foil and broil under high for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown on top.
• Let the casserole sit for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the potatoes to soak up any residual liquid.