Quesadilla Casserole

Sooooo I wanted to do something a little different, that I don't think I've ever done before, I wanted to post a recipe!  We originally got this recipe from one of those McCormick seasoning cards that they sell at grocery stores, you buy it once for like $2 and then you always have the recipe to make it at home whenever you want.  So we tried this one, because the card made it look deeeeeeeelicious!  We don't make it too often but when we do I swear we eat it for days (but that might be because the recipe makes a lot of it, or it's just that good, maybe both) 

So here we go....

Quesadilla Casserole!

This is the recipe card

I changed a couple of things after the first attempt not because it wasn't good, I just felt like it would make it taste that much better!!

According to McCormick you need...

• 1lb of ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 (8oz each) cans of tomato sauce
•  1 (15oz) can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (8 3/4 oz) can of whole kernel corn, undrained
• 1 can (4 1/2 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
• 6 flour tortillas
• 2 cups of shredded cheese

I tweeked this a little by changing these things...

• 1/2 cup chopped onions to 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 (8 3/4 oz) can of whole kernel corn, undrained to drained
• 2 cups of shredded cheese to 3 or 3 1/2 cups of shredded cheese
• Sour Cream (optional)

and you need these spices

• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Minced Garlic (I used Garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp. Oregano Leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Peppers (optional)
• Lawry's Salt (optional)

That seems like a lot of ingredients but it's not and trust me this is DELICIOUS!

So you start by cooking the meat, I always add Lawry's salt to my meat because I hate when meat tastes plain, but adding it is totally up to you.

After you brown the meat then you add these bad boys

Green Chiles

Corn

Tomato Sauce

Beans

It will look a little something like this

Then you're going to mix it all together and it's going to start to look delicous

Then you're going to add in these bad boys

Garlic

Oregano

Cumin

Chili Powder

Pepper Flakes

and you're going to stir it all up again

YUMMMM

Now, you're going to let it simmer in the pot for about 5-10 minutes once it starts boiling...I added a little bit of water to the mixture about 1/2 of a tomato can of water, since I didn't use the water from the corn.  I used the corn undrained the first time and I felt like the whole dish was sweet from my corn, so I have used water ever since and it is delicous.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

After about 5-10 minutes you are going to get your 13'x 9' (sprayed with cooking spray) pan and add to it about two spoonfulls of the mixture to completely cover the bottom.

You're going lay 3 tortillas on top of it I fold them in half and then tear them so that they are covering more of the pan but you can do it however you want.

 

After you lay your tortillas out you're going to add 1/2 of the meat mixture to the top of your tortillas

Then you're going to add 1/2 of the cheese and by now it's looking mighty amazing!

You can use the 2 cups of cheese like the recipe calls for but I added extra because I like mine cheesy, just like a quesadilla!

Once you do this you are going to add the second 3 tortillas, then the rest of the meat mixture and finally the rest of the cheese!

It will look like this when you are finished.

Stick it in the oven for 15-20 or so minutes or until all of the cheese is melted.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes

and then cut up into pieces and serve



I always add sour cream to mine, but you don't have to.

This recipe is definitely not an every day or week recipe especially since I use so much cheese!!  But it is so good, Oh and it makes a lot!!  I always forget that I want to cut the recipe in 1/2 since it's just me and the hubby but I always forget, and it makes for such good leftovers.  I seriously think of it more as a mexican lasagna because the tortillas act like the noodles and the cheese holds everything together. 

Let me know if you try it, or have tried it before.  Good Job McCormick you make for a good start to a recipe! :D