Freezer Meals: Mexican Lasagna Recipe

This recipe comes from my friend Frances, who included this in a cookbook she put together for us for our wedding. I’ve made it several times, usually for parties, and it’s always a huge hit. I figured due to the nature of the food (basically, it’s a casserole) it would probably freeze well, and it’s something I know we will enjoy eating again later. I’ll do a review again in a few months to let you know how it turns out after it’s been frozen and reheated.

Ingredients
1 package of corn or whole wheat tortillas
2 cans refried beans
2 cans of black beans
2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 large cans of red enchilada sauce
4 16 oz.packages of shredded cheese
2 small cans of sliced olives
2 cans of whole kernel corn
2 lbs. ground beef
2 packages of taco seasoning OR ground cumin, chili powder, and ground cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Saute onion and pepper in pan.
3. Brown ground beef in a skillet, and season with either taco seasoning or cumin, chili powder and cayenne.
4. Grease two 9×13 glass baking dishes
5. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in bottom of baking dishes.
6. Cut tortillas into strips and layer over the sauce in both baking dishes.
7. Layer half a can of refried beans over the tortilla strips in each baking dish.
8. Layer a quarter of the onion/pepper mix over the beans in each baking dish.
9. Layer a quarter of the ground beef over the onion/pepper mix in each baking dish.
10. Layer half a can of black beans over the ground beef in each baking dish.
11. Layer half a can of olives over the black beans in each baking dish.
12. Layer half a can of whole kernel corn over the olives in each baking dish.
13. Layer 1 package of shredded cheese over the corn in each baking dish.
14. Spread 2/3 of a can of enchilada sauce over the cheese in each baking dish.
15. Repeat steps 6-12.
16. Spread the remainder of the can of enchilada sauce over the corn in each baking dish.
17. Top each baking dish with 1 package of shredded cheese.
18. Cover each baking dish tightly with tin foil and bake for 50 minutes.
19. Uncover the baking dishes and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese has browned.

Eat one baking dish (serve with sour cream and sprinkle on a little fresh cilantro if you’re a fan of cilantro), and refrigerate the other. After the second baking dish has refrigerated over night, you can transfer it to freezer dishes and put it in the freezer. Remember to label it with the date it was made!