Mexican Enchilada Lasagna

Italian vs Mexican? Enchiladas vs Lasagna? Who can choose between such rivaling degrees of deliciousness? I am a huge fan of both Italian and Mexican food, and sometimes my cravings for them end up somehow intertwined, leaving me unsure of what I really want to make for dinner on any given night. Mexican Enchilada Lasagna is the perfect recipe for such a conundrum- it combines the layers of yummy goodness found in lasagna with flavors more traditional in Mexican dishes, all baked in a hot oven until it's a cheesy, bubbling mess of tastiness waiting to be served on your table for dinner.

I will apologize in advance- I was so starving and exhausted by the time this meal was ready to put on the table that the last thing on my mind was plating it nicely to take pictures to show you all. Needless to say, there are no pictures of our Mexican Enchilada Lasagna, but you should be able to get the general idea of what it should look like as we move through the recipe.

By the way, I am trying a different "style" for this post- please let me know if you prefer this one to the more "narrative-style" recipes. :) Thought this particular fashion may make the recipes more concise and easy to follow.

Here is what you will need to make Mexican Enchilada Lasagna:

-18 corn tortillas
-1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-1/2 cup chopped red/green bell pepper
-1/2 tsp. each of seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, and Sazon
-1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
-1 small can diced green chilies
-1 can no-salt added sweet corn, drained
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
-1 cup light or fat-free sour cream
-1 cup salsa
-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, brown together your meat, onion, and bell pepper, then drain. Add in all of your seasonings and spices, the tomatoes, green chilies, corn, and black beans. Mix together well and let cook for a few minutes longer to allow the flavors to fully fuse together.
3.  In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and the salsa. We like to use the fresh salsa you can find in the refrigerated section of your deli, but any kind will work great. We have used the jarred versions in the past with equally tasty results.
4. Stir the sour cream and salsa mixture into the meat and vegetable mixture, stirring well to combine. Simmer over low heat for just  few minutes to warm the filling before you start assembling your Mexican Enchilada Lasagna.
5. Once your filling is warmed through, take six of the corn tortillas and layer them into the bottom of the 9x13" pan, overlapping them as necessary. Spoon 1/2 of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas, then top with 1/2 cup of the cheese. (Use whatever kind you prefer- we enjoy the Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese.) Layer another 6 corn tortillas on top of the cheese, then top with the rest of the meat mixture and another 1/2 cup of cheese. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and the rest of the cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is crispy golden brown. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole and enjoy!

Okay, so there you have your recipe for Mexican Enchilada Lasagna! Not only is it tasty, but it is full of nutritious ingredients. If you use turkey, fat-free sour cream, and reduced-fat shredded cheese, your recipe will be end up pretty low in calories but will still pack a ton of flavor. I hope you will find this meal as satisfying as we do.

Again, feedback on this post's style compared to previous posts would be greatly appreciated!

Oh, and if the leftovers of this meal heat up nicely and look as tempting as they did the first go-round, I will try and take some pictures at that point to add on here later. If not, use your imagination!  :) It's good exercise for your brain, anyways!