Week 19 Recipe: Green Enchilada Casserole

I love, love, love Mexican food.  I could literally eat it every day and sometimes it seems like I do.  SO I am always trying to find new recipes.  This is definitely one of those easy recipes that can be adapted a hundred different ways.  Enchilada casserole with green sauce.

Ingredients:

Makes four to six servings

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 clove of garlic minced

2T chili powder

1 tsp cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 16 oz can of green enchilada sauce

white corn tortillas

1 cup of shredded cheese

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet combine the onion, garlic and ground beef and brown.  Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne and oregano.  

Stir and reduce the heat to a simmer  and cook for an additional five minutes.  Drain the excess fat.

Grease the bottom of an 8" by 8" casserole dish.  Place a layer of white corn tortillas and place half of the meat mixture on top.

Next add 1/3 of the enchilada sauce and 1/3 of the cheese.

Repeat.

Finish by placing a layer of corn tortillas on top, spreading the remaining sauce and cheese over that.  

Place in the oven and cook for 35 to 45 minutes - until it's nice a bubbly on top.

Remove from the oven and let rest for five minutes.  Plate it up and add your favorite condiments: black olives, sour cream, cilantro, salsa.  mmmmmmmmmm......

You can easily mix this up by using red sauce instead of green, or your favorite taco mix packet instead of the spices I used.  Ground turkey works as a healthier substitute for the ground beef.