Enchilada Pie

This may be known to you as “Mexican Casserole” but growing up in my house, this was called Enchilada Pie and it was one of my favorite dinners as a child. Do not be freaked out by unappealing pictures as it is IMPOSSIBLE to make a casserole look like anything but dog food. I am sorry. I made a few little tweaks and updates to make this a little easier but honestly it is a casserole so it does not get easier than this. Casseroles are like training wheels for new cooks, because THEY DON’T NEED TO BE PRETTY!

what you need:

• 1 package ground turkey or beef I used turkey
• 1 package taco seasoning I used Siete brand, it is gluten and sugar free #health
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 can (15oz) Ranch Style beans
• 1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (10oz) red enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Water
• special equipment needed: casserole dish
• Note: I like to buy the blocks of cheese and grate them myself, I find that the pre-shredded cheese is a bit waxy and doesn’t melt as nicely as the blocks I grate myself!

what you need to do:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and set aside.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet on the stove on medium heat (about a 5-6) and add your ground meat.
• Break up the meat using a wooden spoon as it cooks, you want it to be in very fine little pieces and not large chunks.
• Once the meat is about halfway cooked, add in your taco seasoning packet along with 1/3 cup water.
• Stir to combine well. Continuing to break up the meat with your wooden spoon. Seriously, go to TOWN on it. CHOP IT UP!
• Add in your beans and enchilada sauce, stir to combine.
• Grab one of the empty bean cans and fill with water, add to pan.
• Grab the empty enchilada sauce can and fill with water, add to pan.
• It will be a bit runny but it will cook down so do not be freaked out.
• Stir to combine, cover pan, lower heat to simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
• While the sauce is cooking, grab your tortillas and cut them into thirds horizontally, and then into thirds vertically, creating 9 small pieces per tortilla. Set aside.
• Combine both cheeses in a small bowl and set near casserole dish.

• Once the sauce has thickened, set up a little assembly area with the greased casserole dish, cheese, tortilla pieces, and the sauce.
• Starting with the sauce, ladle about 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the pan, making sure to coat it completely.
• Sprinkle in half of the tortillas and then top with half of the cheese.
• Ladle in another 1/3 of the sauce, covering the tortilla pieces completely.
• Add in the remaining tortillas and then top with the remaining sauce.
• Make sure the sauce covers every little bit of tortilla so they get soft and not crunchy!
• Sprinkle the other half of the cheese on the top.
• So it goes: sauce–> tortillas–>cheese–>sauce–>tortillas–>sauce–>cheese
• Place in preheated oven and cook about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let it cool about 5 minutes before serving!
• Reminder: all casserole looks a bit like dog food when served so do not expect this to be the most beautiful thing you have cooked.
• Top with avocado, tomato, cilantro, sour cream, the list goes on!!! I am not fancy and like mine plain with no toppings.
• Store covered in the fridge for about ~5 days.