Saturday, July 5, 2014

Happy 4th & Tex-Mex Lasagna

Just popping in to say Happy Birthday to America! It's been a lovely, quiet holiday weekend here at my house—just the hubby and I running errands, working on various projects, and doing plenty of relaxing. I made this Tex-Mex Lasagna for our dinner last night and a friend asked for the recipe, so here it is! The photo shows the lasagna before it was baked. I forgot to take an "after" photo - so sorry. This is one of those dishes that's actually better on day two, after the flavors have blended a bit. Enjoy, and God Bless America!


TEX-MEX LASAGNA

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 medium Roma tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounces) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can (4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained
18 small (3-inch) corn tortillas
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan, then add ground beef and onions. Cook and stir for two to three minutes, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon. Add Roma tomatoes and spices; continue cooking until beef is no longer pink. Add black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, tomato sauce, and corn. Stir and bring to a simmer for about ten minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass baking pan with nonstick spray. Spoon a small amount of meat/sauce mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange six tortillas in a single layer over the sauce. Add more sauce over the tortillas, followed by a dollop of yogurt on each tortilla. Sprinkle on a small amount of cheese, followed by a few olive slices. Repeat these layers until pan is filled, ending with cheese and olives on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with guacamole and a large green salad if desired.