Mexican Casserole – Quick, Easy, and Cheap!

This casserole was one of the easiest things I have ever put together. It was also one of the most delicious. When I started to make this casserole, I didn’t have high hopes. I knew it would fill us up but it just seemed to be a run of the mill casserole, nothing too exciting. Thankfully, I was wrong. Jason loved it, went back for seconds that were as big as his first serving, and nibbled on it after dinner until there were no leftovers for his lunch the next day. Whoops.

I have recently become obsessed with my 8×4 baking dish. The 9×13 and 8×8 sizes are just too big for the two of us, especially when you take into account adding side dishes to a meal. The following recipe has been bulked up to fit an 8×8 baking dish because, apparently when I make it next time, the 8×4 simply won’t do.

Quick, Easy, and Cheap Mexican Casserole

Servings: 4-6
Level: Easy
Time: 30 minutes

1/2 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. corriander, optional
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 c. tortilla chips, crushed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 can nacho cheese condensed soup, or any brand of cheese dip will work as well
1 can rotel, drained
1/3 c. cheese, shredded

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions, ground beef, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, corriander, and red pepper flakes together until beef is browned throughout. Drain off excess fat. Pour crushed tortilla chips in a greased 8×8 baking sheet to coat the bottom. In a large bowl, mix together browned beef, beans, corn, condensed soup, and rotel. Pour over chips. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake, covered, for 20-25 minutes. Yum!

Tips
– Serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or salsa on top.
– Serve along side a green salad.
– Use taco seasoning instead of listed spices to flavor the meat.

Chicken Spaghetti… with a Mexican Twist

We love chicken spaghetti. It reminds me of childhood and sorority house Monday night dinners. Yum! Normally, you make chicken spaghetti with one can of cream of chicken and one can of cream of mushroom. But, since I was out of cream of mushroom, I figured I’d take the recipe in a new direction and use a can of condensed nacho cheese soup. I never buy the stuff, honestly… but I was given a few cans by my wonderful Nana and was very glad I had them after tonight! By adding a few spices and changing up the soups, the traditional chicken spaghetti recipe was transformed into a completely different, yet equally delicious, casserole. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Spaghetti

Servings: 8-10
Time: 35 minutes
Level: Easy

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I simply boil the chicken in water, a little salt, and black pepper until no longer pink)
1 box angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 can rotel, undrained
1 c. broth or water
1 c. cheese, shredded (pick your fav… it can be a Mexican variety or just plain cheddar)
1 tbsp. cumin
1/2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Bake, covered for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool and thicken for 10 minutes before serving. Yum!

Tips
– This dish is waaaay better the next day so leftovers are a must! It is also a great dish to make ahead of time.
– This dish freezes well.

Chicken Spinach Florentine

Yum! This is my mom’s recipe so handle with care!

I halved this recipe tonight and it was a little soupier than it was the last time I made it. Still good… just soupier.  I think I might have needed to use more chicken than I did.  I bet using fresh spinach leaves could make this dish even better and I might try that next time… I might also try adding fresh sliced mushrooms.

The leftovers of this dish are DELISH… especially when wrapped up in a warmed tortilla. Chicken Spinach Burritos, anyone? Yeah, I’ll definitely be having that for dinner tomorrow night!

Chicken Spinach Florentine

Servings: 6
Time: 30 min.
Level: Easy

2-3 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. curry powder
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/ c. white wine
2 c. cheddar, shredded

Topping:
1/2 c. parmesan
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
dobs of butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 9×13 baking dish.

Top with toppings and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Yum!

Enchilada Pie

Well, another Mexican craving…when will it stop? I think Mexican dishes might just be my all time favorite. Last night, we had a friend come in from out of town. A few drinks, a few tail whooping at darts, and an overall great night. The best part: Enchilada Pie and chips and salsa.

Chips and salsa would absolutely be #1 on things to serve at my death row meal. I LIVE for chips and salsa. Don’t care what kind of chips, don’t care what kind of salsa. Just let me at ’em!

I threw this meal together tonight using some cans I had stacked in my pantry. They were actually given to me my my wonderful Nana. She loaded me up on canned goods the last time I went to visit and I can’t thank her enough. She wanted to clean out her pantry and I happened to be there… score! So many great recipes have come from her graciousness.

Enchilada Pie

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Level: Easy to medium (depending on whether or not you have to cook your chicken)
Serving Size: 6

1 can fat free refried beans
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne powder
1 tbsp. salsa
4-6 small corn tortillas
1/2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 can enchilada sauce
1 small can chopped green chilies
1/3 c. shredded cheese

Cook chicken if needed… Try the cooking method I used in my Stir Fry recipe, or just pan sear/grill. This is also a great way to use leftover chicken.

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix beans and next 4 ingredients.

Spread mixture on the bottom of a greased, 9×13 baking dish.

Break or tear e tortillas into 1/4ths and layer half of them on top of bean mixture. Top with shredded chicken. At this point you could add some corn if you had any. Pour 1/2 can enchilada sauce over top. Layer with remaining tortillas.

Pour the other 1/2 of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and top with green chilies and shredded cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Yum!

Tips
– Try this recipe with cooked ground beef instead of chicken.
– Add corn or tomatoes to the chicken layer.
– Top with a dollop of sour cream right before serving.