Easy Mexican Lasagna

This dish couldn't have been any simpler to put together. Why? Well, that's probably because I had ALL of the ingredients sitting in the fridge, leftover from yesterday's football-watching snacks.

Like many of the dishes I make, it can be made as an individual size meal (like I did today), or it translates well into a larger casserole to feed a crowd. You'll notice that I don't list quantities on the ingredients for that very reason; it should be done to taste.

Easy Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:
black beans (kidney beans would be good too)
salsa (whatever your favorite kind is, and as hot as you like it)
pinch of chili powder
pinch of cumin
pinch of cilantro
tortillas (I had whole wheat ones in the fridge, but corn tortillas would be just as tasty)
shredded cheese (I usually have a Mexican blend in the fridge, but plain ol' cheddar or jack cheese would work too)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a saute pan over medium-low heat, cook the beans and salsa until just warmed through, about 5 minutes. I suppose you could do this in a microwave, but since I don't have a microwave (gasp!), I do everything on the stove top. Once the bean mixture is warmed through, it's just a matter of layering the ingredients to create the lasagna. Because I went with my trusty individual-size casserole dish, I used a pair of kitchen shears to cut the tortillas into smaller rounds to fit my dish.

To build the lasagna, spoon 1/3 of the bean mixture on the bottom of the dish. Top with 1 tortilla (for larger casserole dishes, you can sort of shingle the tortillas to create one layer) then sprinkle on a thin layer of cheese. Spoon on another 1/3 of the bean mixture, top with another tortilla, then top THAT with the rest of the bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (cook time would be closer to 20-25 minutes for a larger casserole). Sprinkle on more cheese and return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Cool slightly to let things set before digging in.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Tacos

Okay. I admit it: Tacos are one of the few foods that I will occasionally "cheat" and use the box dinner kits that include those crunchy taco shells and a spice packet. So what? They're tasty and still better than the fast-food version you get through the late night drive thru because I can make them with ground turkey, chicken, or tofu and top them however I want. That being said, for the most part I make tacos from scratch and the quickest of the variations I like to make are these black bean tacos because all the ingredients come straight from the pantry and my freezer.

Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup of onion, diced (yes, I have diced onions in my freezer)
1/4 cup of red/yellow/green bell pepper, diced (again, I keep a bag of peppers in my freezer)
1/4 cup of salsa or tomatoes, diced (I had leftover diced tomatoes with jalapenos in the fridge from a can opened earlier in the week)
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
splash of water (veggie stock or tomato juice works well here)
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika (sweet or smoked, whatever you have on hand)
1/4 cup sweet corn (yes, from the freezer again)
salt & pepper to taste
splash of lime juice
soft flour tortillas (I prefer the smaller taco size, but these can just as easily be made into larger burritos)

Directions:
Cook the onion, peppers, and tomatoes in olive oil over medium-low heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the beans, splash of water, and all spices. Using a fork, lightly mash some of the beans to release their starch, leaving most of the beans whole. Simmer until the beans are warmed through and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3-5 minutes, before adding in the corn. Finish with a squirt of lime juice and build your tacos however you want. Today, I kept things simple and just spread a smear of sour cream on the tortilla, added a sprinkle of shredded Mexican cheese, and topped it with the bean mixture.

Enjoy!