When time is short, plenty of home cooks will reach for easy Mexican-American dishes like tacos or burritos for a quick dinner.
New Mexico cookbook author Kelley Cleary Coffeen has a new book out that will make that task even easier.
In 200 Easy Mexican Recipes, just released by Robert Rose publishers ($24.95 softcover), Coffeen offers the types of dishes that we often see on the menus of our favorite Mexican restaurants.
They’re all in there, from basic instructions on how to fire roast peppers and make salsa to Mexican desserts like caramel flan and tres leches cake, with every taco, burrito and chimichanga in between.
Try out this family-friendly recipe for Enchilada Casserole, which can be made ahead and also works well for potluck get-togethers.
ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
18 6-inch corn tortillas
3 cups enchilada sauce, green or red
2 cups diced cooked chicken
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
1 onion, diced
1 cup shredded lettuce
½ cup sliced black olives
1 tomato, seeded and diced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds until soft and pliable.
Place 6 tortillas in the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish, overlapping as necessary. Top with 1 cup of the sauce, spreading to the outer edges of tortillas. Top with half of the chicken and 1 cup of the cheese, spreading to the outer edges of the tortillas. Garnish with one-third of the onion. Layer 6 more tortillas, sauce, the remaining chicken and half each of the remaining cheese and onion. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and the remaining sauce, cheese and onion.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 8 minutes. Cut into 6 equal squares and serve on individual plates. Garnish with lettuce, olives and tomatoes.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: Can be made with beef by replacing chicken with 2 cups of ground beef that has been cooked and crumbled, making sure to use red enchilada sauce.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.