Mexican Lasagna

This recipe comes from my friend, Patti. It is a vegetarian dish that is guaranteed to please everyone.

Ingredients


Cooking oil spray
5 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (thawed and drained)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg
16 ounces sour cream (do not use light or low fat)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
Stack tortillas on a cutting board and slice through them lengthwise into 3 strips each. Set aside.
Pour corn and black beans into colander and allow to drain. Rinse with warm water. Set aside to drain.
In small bowl, combine tomatoes (not drained), tomato sauce, spices and sugar. Spoon about 1/2 of the sauce into the bottom of the 9x13 inch pan.
Top with 5 of the tortilla strips.
Break egg into medium-sized bowl and beat with fork until frothy. Add the sour cream and half of the cheese. Stir to mix well.
Spoon half of the sour cream mixture over the tortilla layer and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
Scatter half of the beans and corn over the sour cream mixture.
Place five more tortillas evenly over the bean and corn mixture. Top with remaining sour cream mixture and remaining bean and corn mixture.
Place remaining tortilla strips on top. Pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over all and spread evenly with the back of a spoon to moisten all of the tortilla strips.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven.
Uncover and sprinkle with black olives and green onions. Return to oven, uncovered, and bake for five minutes more.
Remove from oven and scatter remaining cheese over top.
Return to oven and bake for five minutes more.
Remove and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Busy Day Lasagna

This is a great recipe for a busy day. It is made ahead; feeds a crowd; and you don't even have to boil the lasagna noodles. I get so many requests for this recipe. Everyone likes something easy to make that tastes great!

Ingredients

1 pound Italian sausage
32 ounce jar of prepared spaghetti sauce 
1 cup water
15 ounce container ricotta cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 egg
8 ounce box regular lasagna noodles (not cooked)
16 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
2 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese


Instructions

In large skillet, brown sausage. Drain well.
Add spaghetti sauce and water. Stir to combine and simmer for five minutes.

In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, green onion and egg. Mix well.

In ungreased 9x13-inch pan, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat mixture. Top with half of the uncooked lasagna noodles. Top with half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Carefully spread this over the noodles.
Top with half of the mozzarella cheese slices.
Top with additional 1 1/2 cup meat sauce. Then, remaining uncooked noodles. Top with remaining ricotta cheese and then, remaining mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining meat mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover baking dish and bake 50-60 minutes.
Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash and Kale Lasagna

October 28, 2014

When our garden produced an overabundance of kale and the season began to change to fall, I began craving fall flavors. Butternut squash is one of those fall flavors I just have to have.  This recipe came from the Dash insert to The Denver Post.

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk (whole milk will make a richer tasting lasagna, but also more calories)
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (6 packed cups)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt
Pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 cup grated pecorino (get the good stuff - it makes a big difference)
8 ounce lasagna noodles (NOT the no-boil type)
1 lb butternut squash, peeled and sliced thin ( I use a mandolin to get very thin even slices)

Instructions

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute. Pour in milk, whisking, and bring to a simmer. Whisk until slightly thickened. Stir in kale, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, until kale is wilted. Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine cheeses in bowl.

Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 of uncooked lasagna cooked on bottom of slow cooker, breaking to fit if needed. Top with 1/3 of kale mixture; 1/3 cheese; 1/2 of butternut squash. Repeat layers;  repeat again with lasagna, kale mixture and ending with cheese.

Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours, until squash is tender and lasagna is starting to brown around edges. Turn slow cooker off and allow to stand for 15 minute before serving.

Serves: 8