Gramma’s Mexican Lasagna

An midwestern American Gramma’s Mexican interpretation of an Italian favorite.  Say that 10 times really fast.  Not for bean-haters.  Make a pan of this on Sunday and pack it up for lunches the rest of the week.*

INGREDIENTS

• 15-6″ corn tortillas (avoid the extra soft variety)
• 1 LB ground turkey (or beef… but DRAIN THE BEEF)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 TSP kosher salt
• 1-15 oz can black beans (drained)
• 1-10.75 oz can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom Soup
• 1-10 oz can Ro*Tel (mild or original, depending on your spicy sensitivity)
• 2-8 oz bags shredded cheddar cheese (1 LB total)
• 1 LB sour cream
• PAM Original

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grab a 9″x13″x2″ pan and spray with PAM.
2. Brown the ground turkey along with the chopped onions and salt.  Crumble then add the black beans.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the soup and Ro*Tel.
4. It’s time to assemble three layers:
5. FIRST – Tear apart the tortillas into pieces approximately 1.5″x1.5″ and cover up the bottom of the pan with ’em.  Or enlist the help of your toddler’s great white shark toy named Bruce who apparently just LOVES to bite corn tortillas into pieces!  Woo hoo!
6. SECOND – Add ⅓ of the meat and bean mixture.
7. THIRD – Follow with ¼ of the shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Repeat 2 more times.
9. Now dump and spread the Ro*Tel soup over the whole thing.
10. Top it off with what’s left of the cheese.
11. Cover with foil and toss it in the oven for 35-45 minutes.  Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes.
12. Pull it out of the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*Gotta call out that this dish isn’t appropriate for freezing.  The corn tortillas get soggy and icky.

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

This recipe perverts the healthy goodness of the remarkable sweet potato.  It’s not even remotely good-for-you.  This is often what’s popular (and expected) during the holidays at our potluck family get-togethers.  If your extended family pays attention to the ol’ waistline, feel free to substitute Splenda brown sugar and margarine.

INGREDIENTS

• 40 oz. can Dunbar’s Cut Sweet Potatoes
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 2 oz salted sweet cream butter
• ⅓ cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium to medium/high heat.
3. Add brown sugar and stir.
4. Add water and stir until all sugar dissolves and a glaze forms (5-10 minutes).
5. Drain and rinse sweet potatoes and put in a casserole dish.
6. Pour butter/brown sugar mixture on top of sweet potatoes.
7. Cover and bake for 35-45 minutes.
8. Remove from oven.

Even Better Green Bean Casserole

So, yeh.  I had to give this classic a twist.  I like it better this way.  At a recent Thanksgiving dinner I overheard, “This is how this stuff is supposed to taste!”

INGREDIENTS

• 2-14.5 oz cans french cut green beans
• 1-10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• ¼ cup milk
• ¾ TSP worchestershire sauce
• ¼ TSP ground cumin
• ⅛ TSP pepper
• 1-2.8 oz can French’s French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together in a large bowl: soup, milk, worchestershire sauce, cumin and pepper.
3. Drain green beans then dump in the bowl with the sauce and mix together.
4. Fold in ⅓ can of the fried onions, then pour into casserole dish.
5. Bake covered for 40 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and spread the rest of the fried on top.
7. Back in the oven for 5-7 minutes longer (or until the onions are golden).
8. Remove from oven.

Kickin’ Taco Soup

Tasty, thick and hearty soup.  Each ingredient is same amount, so it’s ridiculously simple to double, triple, etc.  Make a ton of the stuff, then freeze a bunch in individual containers to take to work for lunch.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 LB ground turkey or hamburger
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 1-15 oz can black beans (undrained)
• 1-15 oz can pinto beans (drained)
• 1-10 oz can Ro*Tel (mild or original, depending on your spicy sensitivity)
• 1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1-14.5 oz can whole kernel corn
• 1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix
• 1 pack Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix
• 1-12 oz bottle/can of beer (your choice… we’re a Bud Lite household)

DIRECTIONS

1. Grab a big pot.  Brown the turkey/hamburger with the diced onion.  I’d feel obligated to drain if I used ground beef, so I don’t.  Drain is wasting flavor.  
2. Dump everything else into the pot and mix it up.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium low for 20 minutes.
4. Scoop into bowls and serve with anything that makes sense (corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese, diced green onions, sour cream, etc.)