• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Mexican Casserole

Who doesn't love a good Mexican casserole? They're the best because they're easy to whip up and you can be creative with them, throwing in your own personal touches as you see fit. Case in point: Most Mexican casserole recipes call for you to cook the chips mixed in. I prefer to serve them separately because they tend to get soggy, especially when you reheat the dish.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 pound shredded cooked chicken meat (from a small roasted chicken)

One 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

One 15 1/2-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

One 15 1/4-ounce can corn kernels, drained

2 cups salsa

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup grated medium Cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups baked tortilla chips

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13-x-9-inch baking dish.

2 Heat the canola oil in a small skillet and sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft. Remove from the heat.

3 Combine the chicken, beans (both kinds), corn, salsa, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add in the sautéed onion and bell pepper. Place half the mixture evenly in the baking dish.

4 Combine the Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses and sprinkle half over the mixture.

5 Cover with the remaining half of the chicken and bean mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

6 Bake for 30 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a handful of tortilla chips (you can crush them and mix them in or just scoop with them).

Per serving: Calories 303 (From Fat 98); Glycemic Load 16 (Medium); Fat 11g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 813mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 24g.

Polenta Casserole with Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella

Polenta is a very tasty low-glycemic grain made out of cornmeal, so it offers a sweet taste. This is a simple vegetarian casserole you can put together and have for the week. Enjoy it with a side salad for a light lunch.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Setting time: 2 hours

Cooking time: 1 hour

Yield: 6 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to prep the baking dish

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped yellow or orange bell pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt to taste, plus 1 teaspoon

Ground black pepper to taste

4 cups water

1 cup corn grits polenta (or coarse cornmeal)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.

2 Add the garlic to the saucepan and cook 1 additional minute. (If you're unsure of how to peel and mince garlic, see Figure 17-1.) Then add the tomatoes and their juice (breaking up the tomatoes as you put them in), as well as the parsley and oregano. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to about 3 cups. Mix in the fresh basil and season to taste with the salt and pepper.

3 In another large saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Slowly whisk in the corn grits polenta (or coarse cornmeal). Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the polenta is thick and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

4 Lightly grease an 8-x-8-x-2 glass or ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Spread one-third of the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Pour half the polenta over the sauce and sprinkle