Mexican Lasagna

When Winter rolls around, all I feel like eating is comforting casseroles and warming dishes. Now, I know that after the sweet treats and decadent meals of the Holiday season, many people tend to look for low-fat, healthy salad recipes but with three kids to feed, salad ain't cuttin' it around here! You can serve this fantastic lasagna with a side salad though, you know, to lighten the guilt factor. This dish was such a hit, we all looked forward to having it for lunch the next day, which is saying a lot! I have a feeling this is one of those recipes that will be on permanent rotation on my meal plans!


Mexican Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes (don't drain it)
1 packet of taco spices (I use the low salt kind)
1 to 2 tsp Chipotle chili powder
1-12 oz can of corn kernels, drained (or use frozen)
1-19 oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)
9 large flour tortillas
2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated (or TexMex blend, or Monterey Jack)

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish; set aside.

In a dutch oven, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off all fat and transfer to a heat proof bowl. In the same dutch oven, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sauté bell pepper, onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Put the ground beef back in the pot and also add the tomatoes, taco spices and chili powder. Mix well then add the corn and the red kidney beans and mix again. Let simmer for a few minutes. If you find that your "chili" is a bit watery, make a slurry of a tbsp of cornstarch with some cold water and add it to the pot. Let it simmer a little and it should thicken up enough not to water down your lasagna.

Preheat your oven to 375F.

Ladle a little bit of chili on the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Cover with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping them to fit the dish. Ladle a third of your chili over the tortillas, sprinkle with a third of the cheese and cover with 3 more tortillas. Layer the ingredients that way, ending with the cheese on top of the casserole.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the cheese is nicely browned. To further brown the cheese, broil the casserole for about 1 minute. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, chopped green onions and a salad.