Well, I haven't had much time to cook since I had two babies in the past 2
1/2 years. Sad to say, I've been relying a lot on frozen foods, mostly
Trader Joe's staple items. I try to keep low fat on these, but have not
been getting the whole grains and fresh stuff I should.
So there I was last night, my freezer depleted and my tummy rumbling. I did
have a lot of cans of beans in the cupboard, though, since I haven't been
cooking. I threw together a quick casserole with things I had on hand, and
it turned out pretty good. Tasted even better today for lunch. You can
modify this in thousands of ways to your own taste.
Quick Mexican Layered Dinner
1 can enchilada sauce (any size)
FF cheese (optional)
1 can black beans
1 can chili beans (I used ones in a chipotle sauce)
8 corn tortillas
Spread some enchilada sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish (a spritz of
Pam or other non-stick substance is a help in cleanup). Alternate layers of
tortillas, beans, some grated cheese, and more enchilada sauce until you
reach the top of your casserole dish. If you have beans in a sauce like I
did, include some of that liquid as well. You want to get the tortillas
nice and soft. Bake in a 350 oven for about 25 minutes.
Easy Mexican Rice
1 cup rice
2-3 tablespoons salsa
2 cups liquid
Dry-sautee the rice in a hot skillet until it starts to brown a little. Add
the salsa and stir until all the rice is coated and the liquid is burned
off. Add the water, turn the heat down to low, cover, and let simmer about
20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done.