Enchilada Casserole

When I came across this recipe in the latest issue of Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it this week. It had all the components of a taco with flour tortillas, ground beef, a flavored tomato sauce and pepper Jack cheese but it was all layered in a pie plate and baked in the oven. This totally worked for me since it came in at 377 calories per serving in addition to being really good.

I served this with Spicy Black Beans which were delicious and I was able to pull the dish together in under 10 minutes. This recipe was also from the latest issue of Cooking Light. I started the beans by sauteeing a chopped up red bell pepper with a minced jalapeno in a couple of teaspoons of canola oil until softened. I then added a can of black beans that were drained and rinsed, some fresh lime juice and a little salt and allowed everything to warm up. The beans were garnished with some chopped cilantro just before serving.



Enchilada Casserole
Adapted from Cooking Light, January/February 2012

1 pound ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt added tomato sauce
4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.

Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup been mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

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