Inspired by Stellaris and Age of Wonders, magical new 4X game launches an early demo ahead of Steam Next Fest The fantasy realm of Atre: Dominance Wars is one I've had eyes on for quite some time now, and developer Ironward is getting one step ahead of the upcoming February Steam Next Fest by dropping its demo early. It steps into an interesting spot somewhere between more traditional 4X...

Back in the early 2000s, it was pretty much anything goes in the gaming world. 3D was just in its infancy, and the ideas were new and exciting. While certainly not all of them were surefire hits, the creativity was through the roof, and it had this creative energy that we just don't see these days.

The fantasy realm of Atre: Dominance Wars is one I've had eyes on for quite some time now, and developer Ironward is getting one step ahead of the upcoming February Steam Next Fest by dropping its demo early. It steps into an interesting spot somewhere between more traditional 4X offerings like Civilization 7, the hero-led strategy of Total Annihilation: Kingdoms, Black and White's godly powers, and role-playing elements that can reshape the world through key narrative events.Read the full story on PCGamesN: Inspired by Stellaris and Age of Wonders, magical new 4X game launches an early demo ahead of Steam Next Fest

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Cowboy Casserole is a filling dinner made with seasoned ground beef, cheese and corn in a cream sauce topped with crispy round tater tots. A comforting fave!A FAMILY FILLING CASSEROLEThis cowboy casserole has a fun name and is easy to make! if youre curious as to where the name came from, Im not quite sure. But, my best guess is that its because it is a hearty and filling enough meal to satisfy even a hungry cowboy after a long day of work. Like most casseroles, it looks like a pile of slop, right? Ha! But those tend to be the ones with the best taste in my opinion!FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:Can I make this casserole ahead of time? You can fully assemble the casserole without adding the crispy crowns, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge, add the crispy crowns on top, and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes, if needed, since its starting cold.If you want to prep it even further ahead, you can assemble and freeze the casserole (again, without the crispy crowns) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, add the crispy crowns, and bake as directed until hot and bubbly with a golden, crispy topping. What else can I add to this Cowboy Casserole? You can add chopped bell peppers or mushrooms when you are cooking the beef. How can I bring some spice to this? If you like a touch of heat in your casseroles, thats totally possible. You can add chopped up jalapeos, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. Can I make this in the Crock Pot? It can be done but you will be doing most of the cooking ahead of time and popping it into the crock pot and top with the hash rounds. Start by browning the ground beef with the onion and seasonings on the stovetop, then stir in the cheese, corn, cream of chicken, sour cream, and milk. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker and spread it evenly.Top with the frozen crispy crowns or tater tots, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours, until heated through. Keep in mind that the crispy crowns will be much softer in the slow cooker since theres no dry heat to crisp them. IIf you prefer a crunchy topping, you can finish the crispy crowns under the oven broiler for a few minutes before serving, or bake them separately and add them on top just before serving. Just make sure you have an oven safe crock pot insert that can handle that high heat. Can I change up the seasonings? Sure. Instead of the seasonings used- chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper, you can just use one packet of taco seasoning.I like using Homemade Taco Seasoning too. What to serve with Cowboy Casserole? A casserole can be a whole meal in itself, but you can absolutely serve it with some of your favorite sides. A big, green salad is my favorite option, or toss together a vegetable of your choice (the microwaveable steam veggies are an easy side!) How do I store leftovers? You can keep any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.You can freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3-4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat when needed. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)ground beef you could use ground pork, ground chicken, ground turkey or a meat substitute like Beyond meat.yellow onion dont like onion? Leave it out.garlic I always prefer fresh garlic but I do sometimes use the jared stuff fin a pinch. Use what works best for you.chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, coarse kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and paprika If you dont like one or more of the seasonings here, just leave it out or replace with ones you prefer.colby jack cheese You can use any cheese you love for the dish.I think Pepper Jack would be nice for a kick of heat!corn You can use canned or frozen corn.If you dont care for corn, you can substitute it with a can of beans or just leave it out.cream of chicken you can use cream of mushroom in place of the cream of chicken.As always, I love using Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup, or if you need to swap it out, a good Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup is a nice alternative.sour cream You can use any brand. I prefer the full-fat since it adds to the creaminess of the dish.You do not taste the sour cream as a separate ingredient in this but if youre absolutely worried about it, you could, maybe, use mayonnaise since that is less tangy. The sour cream is really just helping with the overall creaminess. Or you could substitute the sour cream and milk with about cup heavy cream.Milk you can use a milk substitute like almond milk if you necessary.frozen crispy rounds You can use any brand of crispy rounds (or crowns as some brands call them).They are just round, disc shaped tater tots. I have been preferring these to tater tots lately because I think they cook more evenly than the tater tots sometimes do but you could use tater tots.I would go with the mini ones if you can find them.HOW TO MAKE COWBOY CASSEROLE:Preheat the oven to 400 F. To a large skillet, add the ground beef and onion. Cook and crumble over medium heat until fully cooked and the juices run clear. Drain any excess grease and put back into the skillet (you can turn off the heat at this point.)To the skillet, add the garlic and dried seasonings. Stir until combined.Add half of the cheese, corn, cream of chicken, sour cream, and milk. Stir until combined.Transfer the meat mixture to a 913-inch baking dish.Top with the remaining shredded cheese and then evenly top with the crispy rounds (you will use about 54 of the crispy rounds)Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, or until the crispy rounds are golden brown.NOTE: If you want to get them extra crispy, you can place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY while anything is under the broiler. Stand by and check constantly to make sure it doesnt burn because it can burn very fast under the broiler if you arent careful. Top with cilantro, is using.CRAVING MORE RECIPES?Cowboy Butter PotatoesCowboy SpaghettiCowboy Queso Hamburger CasseroleCowboy Hash Brown Skillet PrintCowboy CasseroleA filling casserole with beef, veggies, cheese, and crispy round tater tots.Course Dinner, Main CourseCuisine AmericanPrep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 25 minutes minutesTotal Time 35 minutes minutesServings 8Calories 680kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients1 pound lean ground beef cup finely diced yellow onion1 Tablespoon minced garlic2 teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon salt teaspoon black pepper teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon paprika2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese (divided use)15.25 ounce can corn, drained10.5 ounce can cream of chicken cup sour cream cup milk30 ounce bag frozen crispy rounds (about 54 crispy rounds will be used from the bag)2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley (optional, for garnish)InstructionsPreheat the oven to 400 F.To a large skillet, add 1 pound lean ground beef and 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion the ground beef and onion. Cook and crumble over medium heat until fully cooked and the juices run clear. Drain any excess grease and put back into the skillet (you can turn off the heat at this point.) To the skillet, add 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir until combined. Add 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese, 15.25 ounce can corn, drained, 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup milk . Stir until combined. Transfer the meat mixture to a 913-inch baking dish. Top with the remaining one cup shredded colby jack cheese and then evenly top with frozen crispy crowns (you will use about 54 of the crispy rounds) Bake uncovered on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, or until the crispy rounds are golden brown. NOTE: If you want to get them extra crispy, you can place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. DO NOT WALK AWAY while anything is under the broiler. Stand by and check constantly to make sure it doesnt burn because it can burn very fast under the broiler if you arent careful.Top with 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, if using then serve! NotesPlease refer to my FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.Crispy rounds are just disc shaped tater tots. I find they cook a lot more evenly and get a bit crispier than the bigger barrel-shaped tater tots but you can use regular tater tots if you cant find these. The mini tater tots might work best.NutritionCalories: 680kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Sodium: 1285mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 47g

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