MEXICAN LASAGNA

Casseroles|Beef|Ragin Cajun|Tacos|Tex-Mex

Ingredients

The Meat Filling:

3 pounds ground beef (80/20 or 85/15)

1 large onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (including seeds)

1, 4 ounce can diced green chiles

2 tablespoons Dish off the Block Ragin’ Cajun Spice Blend

2, 1 ounce packets taco seasoning

1 tablespoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

2, 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half

The Peppers:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large green bell peppers, cut into ½” thick wedges and then cut in half (2-3” long pieces)

2 large red bell peppers, cut into ½” thick wedges and then cut in half (2-3” long pieces)

2 large sweet onions, cut into 1” wedges

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

½ cup water

The Casserole:

8 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

9 cups shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

3 cups medium spicy salsa

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters if large

1, 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives, drained

¼ cup scallions

1 pint sour cream

Instructions

To make the meat filling, place the ground beef in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Break up the meat into small pieces with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the onions, jalapeno, chiles, Ragin’ Cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, cumin, and salt to the pan and continue to cook breaking up the meat and stirring frequently until the meat is cooked through. Add the beans, corn, and tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3-4 minutes until everything is well combined and the tomatoes begin to soften. Turn off the heat and set aside.

To make the peppers, heat the oil in another large skillet (or you transfer the meat mixture to a bowl). Add the peppers and onions to the pan. Season with the salt and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the water to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers and onions are very soft and all of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 and coat a 9” x 13” baking dish with non-stick spray.

To prepare the lasagna, place 2 of the large tortillas in the bottom of the baking dish overlapping to cover the whole bottom. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over the tortillas.

Spread ⅓ of the meat mixture over the cheese, followed by 1 cup of the salsa, ⅓ of the peppers and onions, and 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Top with 2 more tortillas and repeat the same layers 2 more times. Top with the last 2 tortillas, tucking them down into the sides of the casserole dish. Brush the top with olive oil to coat.

The casserole dish will be very full, so I like to place it on a foil lined baking sheet to catch any spillover and keep your oven clean.

Bake the lasagna for 20 minutes and then remove from the oven and top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese, black olives, and chopped tomatoes. Bake for an additional 15-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.

Garnish the top with the chopped scallions and serve squares with a dollop of sour cream on top! YUM!