Food: a mexican casserole

I cannot stress how effortless this recipe is yet it is absolutely divine. To top that off, it is quite healthy. I have used ground beef here, but that can easily be switched with ground chicken or turkey. I have tried it with both and it tastes amazing either way. Choosing a lean ground will also add more points. I have made this for dinner too many times now and it keeps  our taste buds entertained each time. The amount of cheese used can easily take you off the healthy road, but you hold the key to this madness ;)

Ingredients are, 

1 lb of ground beef
1 can black beans
1 can crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup of corn
1/2 onion sliced

1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp salsa of your choice
cheese for layering and topping
salad greens for topping
2 whole wheat tortillas
oil+salt+pinch of sugar

I have used this Bufalo salsa as you can see in the image above. It is quite tangy and thick. A little bit goes a long way with this which is why I like to use it. And about the cheese - I layer with one kind and I top with another. As I said, I have made this recipe too many times. And each time I have used a different type of cheese - whatever was lying in the fridge, from sharp cheddar, mexican 3 cheese, to parmesan and gruyere. And they all tasted really really good. So have at it!

Heat oil in a pan. Then toss in the onions. Once it acquires a little color add the garlic and the ginger. Give it one quick stir. Then add the ground beef or meat of your choice. Let it brown. Do not cover. Add the salt, chili powder, and cumin powder. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes. Then add the crushed tomatoes. Follow that with the beans and the corn. Add the salsa and a pinch of sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Now cover and cook until the mixture is not liquidy anymore. If it is watery, then your casserole will be watery. You would think that the baking process will evaporate more water, but that is not going to work since the casserole will be covered. And the liquid will also make the casserole fall apart. 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Now take a deep glass pan and layer with half of the meat mixture. Then top that with some cheese. 

Then layer the tortillas. Notice that I cut out the tortillas to the exact shape of the pan. 

Repeat the process. Remember that there needs to be cheese right underneath the tortillas. For the topmost layer, heap a heavy dose of cheese. 

Take a foil sheet and spray the inside [that part that will face the cheese] with some cooking spray. Then cover the glass pan with it. Bake for 20 mins. Then take the foil off and broil for 5 mins. This will give the cheese some color at the end. Top the casserole with the salad greens and enjoy. Bon appéit!