Heat the oven to 400°F and lightly coat a 2-quart casserole dish with olive oil spray. The dish should have a thin, even coating so the casserole lifts out more cleanly later.

Set a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and give it a light coating of olive oil spray. The pan is ready when the surface is hot enough for the beef to sizzle as soon as it hits.

Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Keep going until the meat is no longer pink and the sizzling shifts from watery to more robust and beefy.

Drain the beef well, then return it to the skillet. This step keeps the casserole from turning greasy and helps the cheese sauce cling to the meat instead of sliding off.

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. The beef should smell deeply savory at this point, with the spices coating it evenly.

Add the cubed cream cheese and stir patiently until it melts completely into the beef. At first it will look streaky, then it will turn into a smooth, creamy mixture with no visible cream cheese chunks.

Turn off the heat and mix in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar, keeping the rest for the top. The mixture will look thick in the skillet, and that thick texture is what you want before baking.

Spoon the beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top. The cheese should cover the surface lightly so every serving gets a melted finish.

Bake for about 10 minutes, then rest the casserole for 10 minutes loosely covered before adding parsley and serving. When it comes out, the cheese should be melted and bubbly, and the rest helps the casserole set so it serves neatly.