CookingWithGeorgeAndFriends.com

Week 109 Recipe

MEXICAN LASAGNE

This recipe is a great way to use leftover turkey from a Thanksgiving dinner in place of the chicken breasts shown here.

TOOLS • Cutting Board • Knife • Large Wooden Spoon • Large skillet (2) • 13 X 9 Baking Dish   INGREDIENTS The sauce: • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 onion, peeled and chopped • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped • 3 green chiles, chopped with seeds • ½ tsp salt • 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro • 2 cans diced tomatoes • 1 tbsp curry ketchup or regular ketchup The filling: • 3 or 4 chicken breasts, chopped in bite   size pieces (or 3 cups shredded   turkey if using leftovers) • 3 1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed (or   appx 1 ½ cans (15 oz) canned corn) • 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained   and rinsed • 2 cups shredded cheese of your choice • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese • 6 soft flour tortillas (10")

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 400 deg F. For the sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic until aromatic, appx 1 minute. (Do not burn) Add the onion, bell pepper, chiles and salt. Cook gently until softened, appx 15 minutes. Add 2 tbsp of the cilantro. Pour in the tomatoes, and ketchup. Turn to simmer and cook while preparing the filling, appx 10 minutes. For the filling, add a little oil to another skillet and saute chicken pieces until done, appx 5 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. In a bowl, mix together the corn , beans and chicken. Clean skillet and over medium heat add about 1 tbsp oil and heat to just hot. Fry the tortillas one at a time until just crisp about 30 seconds per side. You will probably need to add a little more oil with each tortilla. Set aside. Add the reserved juice from chicken to the filling if needed to make it just a little juicy. To assemble, place 2 tortillas in bottom of greased baking dish. Layer with half of the filling, half of the sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat layers ending with 2 tortillas on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cilantro. Bake in oven for appx 30 minutes and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. HINTS: This dish can be spiced up to your taste very easily by using a few jalapeno peppers, taco seasoning on the meat or Rotel tomatoes. The choice is yours. By frying the tortillas first, it gives a little crunch now and then to the casserole.