Mexican Lasagna

So this is the thing - my husband LOVES Mexican food and I am not so crazy about it. I only like very few Mexican foods - the only Mexican restaurant that I will go is "Chevy's" and usually I order grilled steak fajitas. Other than that, I only like home made chicken enchiladas. Well, okay, I do like "Taco Time" and a certain type of burrito at "Costa Vida" but the don't really count as I have been told that they aren't really Mexican food... Anyway, when I saw this "Mexican Lasagna" recipe on line, I was a little skeptical. I am a big fan of Italian lasagna but I wondered how good this Mexican style lasagna would turn out. But since it got such great reviews from hundreds of people, plus, it's Rachel Ray's recipe, so I decided to try it. Well, I was very impressed with this dish. It's quick and easy to make. And the flavors of all the great ingredients - the black beans, the corn, and all the other ingredients make this dish taste just so awesome!! I changed the recipe a little bit - I used turkey instead of chicken. I also added jalapenos for a little kick. It tastes similar to enchiladas but better - plus, homemade seasoning and everything! I definitely recommend this meal to anyone who loves Mexican food or wants something a little different!

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground chicken breast (I used lean ground turkey instead)
  
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 red onion, chopped (I didn't use any onions because of my husband's issues with onions)
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• Salt
• 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas (I used flour tortillas instead)
  
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack (I used both)
  
• 2 scallions, finely chopped (I used 2 green onions instead)
  

Direction:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken (or turkey) and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions or green onions and serve.

Adapted from Rachel Ray's recipe