Mexican Lasagna

My family loves Mexican food - well, the American version of Mexican food.  We like tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, tostadas.  So I decided to come up with another way to enjoy one of our favorite genres of food.  

Give this simple dish a try.  You won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 large onion - chopped

1 can black beans - rinsed and drained

1 can tomato soup

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

3 cups grated cheese

4 flour tortillas - 8" wide

Brown your beef  and onions in a sauce pan.  I always put onions is my meat - even if it's just dried onions.  Onions make it taste so much better.  Once your meat is no longer pink, drain the fat (if you have any).

Add the beans, tomato soup, salt, garlic, chili, cumin and coriander.  Stir to combine and allow it to cook on the stove for about 5 minutes to help combine all the flavors.

Place a tortilla in the bottom of a non-stick springform pan.  This is the type of pan used to make a cheesecake.  If you don't have one - go get one.  Believe me, you'll love it.

Now you're going to layer everything.  Start with the meat.  Put about 1/4 of it on top of the tortilla.  Then sprinkle about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cheese.

Then add another tortilla, more meat, and more cheese.

You can use more or less cheese, depending on your preferences.  We like cheese in this house - so we may have used more than the recipe asks for.  : )

Do two more layers (tortilla, 1/4 of the meat, 3/4 cup cheese) and then it should look like this:

Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  The cheese will be melted and lightly browned and perfect!

This will be super hot.  So let it sit for a few minutes and then place it on a serving platter or plate.  Once you've set it on the plate, take the side off your springform pan.

What a beautiful and fun way to present your food.

You can see all the different layers of yumminess.

Cut it into wedges and serve with sour cream, guacamole, or chopped tomatoes.  Of course these toppings are all optional, but they sure do look good - and they taste even better!

Happy eating!

Black Bean & Mango Salsa

I've had this a few times at my friend Emily's home, but I never actually made it until I got some large mangos in my Bountiful Basket.

You can eat this on fish, on chicken, with tortilla chip, or straight out of the bowl with a fork - like I do!

Ingredients:

2 ripe mangos - peeled, pitted, and diced

1 15 oz. can of black beans - drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped red onions

1 small green pepper - seeded and chopped

1 small red pepper - seeded and chopped

1/2 cup Italian dressing - any kind

salt and pepper to taste

In a blender or magic bullet, blend 1/4 cup of mango with the Italian dressing until smooth.

In a bowl, combine the rest of the mayo with the beans, onions, and peppers. Add the mango puree and stir.

Season to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

Frijoles Negros

I love having Black Beans whenever we have mexican food. After a few test runs, I've finally found some that my family loves!

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1 Tb. olive oil

1/3 cup finely chopped onions

1/3 cup finely chopped green pepper

2 cloves finely chopped garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

finely chopped jalapeño (optional)

1 can black beans (undrained)

In a small pan heat the olive oil. Sauté the onions and green peppers (jalapeño too if you want the heat) until soft - about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the undrained beans, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer the beans for 15 minutes to incorporate all the flavors.

Serve with your favorite meal - or just eat them on their own.

Enjoy!