Brent (A440) asked for this recipe. Thought I'd put it here in case anyone else may like to try it. This tastes fine using canned enchilada sauce and canned refried beans, but it tastes really great if you make your own from scratch. I'll include those recipes, as well.
MEXICAN LASAGNA (12 servings)
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1 2-oz. can ripe olives, drained
1 4-oz. can diced green chilies
1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilis (Rotel)
3 cups enchilada sauce
2 16-oz. cans refried beans
12 8-inch flour tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease a 10" x 15" Pyrex baking dish or other 4-quart casserole.
2. In large, high-sided frying pan or Dutch oven, brown ground beef with onions and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat if desired, returning meat to pan.
3. Add olives, green chills, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and refried beans. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
4. Ladle a thin layer of meat mixture in bottom of baking dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas, tearing one into pieces which will cover open spaces. Ladle more meat onto tortillas, then sprinkle with a layer of cheese. Repeat process until all tortillas are used, ending with a layer of meat mixture topped with cheese.
5. If dish is very full, place it on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillovers. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking 30-45 minutes or until heated through and edges are bubbly.
Here are the recipes for enchilada sauce and refried beans if you decide to make your own:
ENCHILADA SAUCE (makes about 4 cups)
1 cup finely minced fresh onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 15 oz. can can tomato sauce
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion. Saute until tender. Add garlic, sauté about 1 minute, being careful not to let garlic brown.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, with pan partially covered with a lid. If sauce seems too thin, remove lid, raise heat and reduce for a few minutes.
REFRIED BEANS (makes enough for the Mexican Lasagna recipe)
2 15-oz. cans pinto (or other) beans
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1. Heat oil in frying pan. Add onions and sauté until soft, but don't let onions brown. Stir in seasonings and cook until spices are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2. Rinse canned beans in strainer. Pour beans into a 13" x 9" Pyrex baking dish and mash with potato masher until they reach your desired consistency.
3. Add beans to onion mixture. Stir and cook until well combined.
[this post was last edited: 1/15/2012-13:13]
MEXICAN LASAGNA (12 servings)
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1 2-oz. can ripe olives, drained
1 4-oz. can diced green chilies
1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilis (Rotel)
3 cups enchilada sauce
2 16-oz. cans refried beans
12 8-inch flour tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar-jack cheese
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat to 350 degrees. Grease a 10" x 15" Pyrex baking dish or other 4-quart casserole.
2. In large, high-sided frying pan or Dutch oven, brown ground beef with onions and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Drain fat if desired, returning meat to pan.
3. Add olives, green chills, diced tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and refried beans. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
4. Ladle a thin layer of meat mixture in bottom of baking dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas, tearing one into pieces which will cover open spaces. Ladle more meat onto tortillas, then sprinkle with a layer of cheese. Repeat process until all tortillas are used, ending with a layer of meat mixture topped with cheese.
5. If dish is very full, place it on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillovers. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking 30-45 minutes or until heated through and edges are bubbly.
Here are the recipes for enchilada sauce and refried beans if you decide to make your own:
ENCHILADA SAUCE (makes about 4 cups)
1 cup finely minced fresh onion
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 15 oz. can can tomato sauce
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion. Saute until tender. Add garlic, sauté about 1 minute, being careful not to let garlic brown.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, with pan partially covered with a lid. If sauce seems too thin, remove lid, raise heat and reduce for a few minutes.
REFRIED BEANS (makes enough for the Mexican Lasagna recipe)
2 15-oz. cans pinto (or other) beans
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1. Heat oil in frying pan. Add onions and sauté until soft, but don't let onions brown. Stir in seasonings and cook until spices are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2. Rinse canned beans in strainer. Pour beans into a 13" x 9" Pyrex baking dish and mash with potato masher until they reach your desired consistency.
3. Add beans to onion mixture. Stir and cook until well combined.
[this post was last edited: 1/15/2012-13:13]
