Enchilada Casserole

Jeremiah had been asking for this for a few weeks and I finally remembered to put it on my grocery list and make it for him. It's hearty (slightly unhealthy I'm sure) and you can double the recipe and freeze one for later. There's lots of layers; it doesn't stay together when you take it out of the pan (of course). Pardon the picture as it is a bit messy, but it's tasty too!

As a side note, I'm experimenting with a google document to make a printable version of my recipes for you. I will see how (or if) this works, please let me know how it goes if you try it!

Enchilada Casserole (Printable Recipe)
from Cooking, It's Elementary

Prep: 20 minutes / Bake: 40-45 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

3/4 pound ground beef or turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup salsa

5 (7 inch) flour tortillas, cut into 3/4 inch strips

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 can corn, no salt added

1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1. In a 10-inch skillet, brown beef or turkey and the onion. Drain. Stir in 1/2 cup water, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to low, simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Add a layer of tortilla strips and another 1/4 cup salsa on top of the tortillas.

3. Add meat mixture. Top with sour cream. Add the corn. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese on casserole, then top with remaining salsa, followed by the remaining tortillas. Add remaining cheese on top. Don't worry about making your layers or tortillas perfect, you won't be able to tell at the end anyway!

4. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

5. If you double the recipe, you can freeze the extra casserole for up to one month. To use frozen casserole: thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed above.

There you have it! Enchilada casserole. Simple and tasty, it's sure to please any picky tastebuds! If you like spicy foods, use a hot salsa and the maximum chili powder. Enjoy! Read more for my review.

My Review

• Preparation: 4
• This recipe takes about 1 hour, with the bonus of another meal ready to go in the freezer if you choose to double it.
• Taste: 4
• The casserole is full of flavor and makes great leftovers. It's not 'to die for' but I've made it a few times and I'm sure I will again.
• Cost: 5
• Cheap and easily accessible ingredients.
• Clean-up: 5
• Just a skillet and then a pan, not bad at all. 
• Changes
• As I mentioned above, feel free to kick up the heat if you'd like. Add some jalapenos, chili peppers, cayenne pepper, hot salsa, whatever you spicy food lovers usually do! (If you can't tell, I'm not a spicy food person at all)!