Mexican Lasagna

This recipe sounds kind of complicated... If you don't want to bother with the whole arbol chile business I would recommend just using a couple of cans of enchilada sauce.  It is a really great casserole.  My husband went back for seconds.

SAUCE:

• 2 large arbol chili peppers 
• 2 cup boiling water
• 1 28-ounce crushed tomatoes 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
•  black pepper
• salt

LASAGNE:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt
• 1 zuchini diced
• 1 yellow squash diced
• 1 can Ro-tel
• 1/2 onion diced
• 12  corn tortillas 
• 1 can black beans 
• 1/2 bunch coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 400F.

 For sauce: Soak arbol chilies in boiling water 20 minutes. Cool and drain, reserving soaking water. Remove stems, seeds, and strings inside chilies and add to soaking water. Drop chilies into food processor and set aside.
 Strain chili soaking water into second ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 -inch baking dish, add tomatoes, garlic,  cumin, and black pepper. Stir well, then roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven (turn down oven to 350) and cool 15 minutes. Add to food processor with chilies and pulse about I minute until smooth; set ancho sauce aside.

For lasagne: Place quinoa, water, and salt in medium-size heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Adjust heat so water bubbles gently, then boil quinoa uncovered until all water is absorbed-about 15 minutes.  If you have a rice cooker like I do, it makes this process much easier.

In a large skillet over med heat saute onion, garlic, til soft and add zuchini, and can of diced tomatoes w green chilis.  When everything is heated through and kind of soft, add can of black beans.
To assemble lasagne, cover bottom of prepared baking dish with 6 tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer quinoa on top, spread with half the reserved arbol sauce.   Cover with remaining 6 tortillas, again overlapping as needed, spoon black bean mixture evenly over all, and spread with remaining sauce.  Top with a package of veggie shreds (I used cheddar jack)
Cover with aluminum foil and bake until bubbly-about 30 minutes.
Let lasagne stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, cut into squares, and serve.

Serves 6-8

Veggie Enchiladas

While perusing the food 52 website, I came across a recipe for Summer Squash Enchiladas.  I prefer zuchinni squash to summer squash, but like to combine them for a more colorful meal.   I had already been soaking some pinto beans and wasn't sure what I was going to do with them.  So I made a variation of these, of course leaving out the mixed cheese blend and using store- bought enchilada sauce.   They came out great!  Even my meat-eating husband liked them.  Another good idea if you have plenty of dough would be to add some diced avocado inside of each of your enchiladas to make them more creamy.

• 22 corn tortillas
• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups cooked pinto beans(or any other)
• 2 cans enchilada sauce
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 2 med zuchini squash, chopped
• 1 med yellow squash, chopped
• 1 med jalapeno, diced seeds removed (optional)
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 med avocado, chopped

Saute onion in EVOO over med heat for about 5 min.  Add minced garlic.  When you can smell the fragnant garlic, add squash and jalapeno.  Add a small bit of your enchilada sauce.  Once the squash starts to soften, add  the beans.  Mix together and turn down the heat a little.  You want the flavors to blend together then set aside to cool so it is easier to handle.  Pour a little bit of the sauce in a bowl so you can dip the corn tortillas in before you fill them.  You want your tortillas to be soft and pliable.  You can dip them in some hot oil for a few seconds if you are not worried about calories or dip them in warm enchilada sauce.  Preheat your oven to 375.  Put a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x14 pan.  Then fill tortillas with 1/4 cup of filling and roll up laying them crease side down.  I made 22 enchiladas with this recipe.  Bake for 25 minutes or util warmed up.  When plating, garnish with diced tomatoes, cilantro and avocado.