Mexican Tomatillo Lasagna Ground Beef Food

STACKED BEEF ENCHILADAS (AKA MEXICAN LASAGNA)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the baking soda. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Let sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the beef sits, prepare the sauce. Set an oven rack about 5 inches beneath the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula). Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9x13-in glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won't cook through.)
• Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas. Top with half of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.
• Note: Chipotle chili powder is smoky and hot and makes this dish a little spicy. For a milder dish, replace the chipotle chili powder with ancho chili powder, which isn't as hot.
• MAKE-AHEAD/FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS: The casserole can be prepared ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking). It can also be fully baked, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost if necessary and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, small portions can be zapped in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.
• Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

MEXICAN TOMATILLO LASAGNA - GROUND BEEF

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• 2. Cook ground beef and onion till brown. Drain (if needed).
• 3. Add chili powder, cumin and taco seasoning and stir to combine.
• 4. Add Salsa Verde and both cans of beans. Simmer till bubbling.
• 5. Spread about 1/4 cup of red salsa evenly in bottom of baking dish, followed by a few tablespoons of the ground beef mixture.
• 6. Layer 6 of the tortillas in baking dish, overlapping them as you go.
• 7. Add 1/3 of the remaining meat mixture, then another 6 overlapped tortillas. Repeat these layers.
• 8. Put final 1/3 of meat mixture over last tortilla layer. Spread another 1/4 cup of the red salsa evenly on top.
• 9. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350˚.
• 10. Remove from oven, and remove the foil. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top, then return to the oven for about another 10 - 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• 11. Bring out of the oven one last time, and allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes so the layers set up. Serve with sour cream.
• 12. *** To double this recipe, I often just add an additional can of the kidney beans and the black beans, an additional jar of the tomatillo salsa verde, some more cheese and an additional 18 corn tortillas. This keeps the cost down since you don't have to double the meat, and it has always worked out perfectly. ***
• 13. *** To freeze, be sure to line the dish you're freezing with aluminum foil before assembling the lasagna. Spray with cooking spray, create your lasagna as above, and bake. Allow to cool for 2 hours, then wrap entire dish in foil before placing in a flat space in the freezer. Let freeze till solid (overnight, usually), then use the foil lining to lift the lasagna from the baking dish. From here you can re-wrap in outer foil, then plastic wrap. Label and put back in the freezer. To use the frozen lasagna, I usually allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350˚oven for about 30 minutes. This is REALLY hard to overbake! ***

FAVORITE MEXICAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the salsa, beans, enchilada sauce, chilies, taco seasoning and pepper; heat through. , Spread 1 cup meat mixture in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Layer with two tortillas, a third of the remaining meat mixture and 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining tortillas and meat mixture., Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with tortilla chips. , Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with olives, guacamole, tomatoes and sour cream if desired.

MEXICAN LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in beans, chilies, taco seasoning and hot salsa., In a greased 13x9-in. baking dish, layer a third of the noodles and meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers twice. , Combine mild salsa and water; pour over top. Cover and bake 1 hour or until heated through. , Top with sour cream, olives, onions, tomatoes if desired and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.