Baked Enchilada Lasagna

Serves 3-4

Preheat your oven to 350.

Ingredients:

• half chopped onion
• 1 garlic glove
• 3/4 lbs ground beef
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 1/2 can black beans
• 4 1/2 small corn tortillas
• 1/2 can enchilada sauce
• jarred or homemade salsa
• Mexican cheese (I just use the store brand)

Finely chop or mince the garlic into a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and ground beef.  Cook until onion is translucent and then add the taco seasonings.

TIP:  I like to stir in the taco seasonings and then add 1/4-1/2 cup water and bring the whole pan to a boil.  I think it allows for better penetration of flavor.

Spray the bottom your lasagna dish with nonstick spray and put down 2 tortillas (I trim them into halves and put the straight part against the side of the dish and allow the circular edges to overlap.  I had a small hole still in the center so I added a 1/4 of a tortilla to cover it.

sprinkle down 1/2 of the meat and onion mixture.  Top with the black beans (make sure you drain and rinse them first!).  Then add 1/2 the enchilada sauce and some salsa.  Lastly sprinkle with a fine layer of the mexican cheese.

Repeat a second layer starting with the tortillas, then beef, then enchilada and salsa and finish with the cheese.

Bake in your oven for 20-30 minutes- until center is warmed and cheese is melty and bubbly.

Chicken and Spinach Rolls

Servings: 3

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Thaw spinach ahead of time or pop it in the microwave on defrost.  Make sure you ring it out and get any excess moisture before use!

• 2 chicken breasts
• panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 package frozen spinach
• 2 Tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
• 1 recipe of my Go To Tomato Sauce

Place each breast on a cutting board, and put one hand on the top.  Slice the breast parallel to the cutting board creating a pocket.  Keep cutting in the same motion until you have cut the breast into two thin slices.  Cover in wax paper and pound with meat tenderizer or other heavy flat object (fry skillet works well!) until breast half is very thin.  Repeat with other half and other breast.  This leaves you with 4 very thin chicken breasts.  Cut all in half  width wise for 8 pieces total.  Season lightly with salt.

In a bowl, combine mozzarella (leave a pinch for the top), ricotta, spinach and parmesan.  Put forkful onto chicken breast and then roll the breast around the cheesey mixture.  Dip the roll into the egg white and then place into baking dish.

Repeat 8 times.  When done, sprinkle panko onto of chicken rolls.

Place into oven for 15-25 minutes, or until panko is slightly golden.  Meanwhile, you can prepare the tomato sauce or open your store bought marinara/ tomato sauce (although it won’t be as delicious or cost effective as my recipe…)

Pour tomato sauce over chicken rolls and sprinkle reserved pinch of mozzarella on top and put back into oven.  If you are starving at this point, you can switch the oven to broil and just remove it when the cheese is brown and bubbly.  If you can wait, leave in oven at 450 until cheese is brown and bubbly.

Serve with your favorite veggie or side dish.