Enchilada Tortilla Skillet Casserole

Hey Wednesday is a good day to post a quick middle of the week meal. I for one am running around like a super geek. I think if I really wanted to, I could pull off wearing the Super Geek tights and cape (in a lovely lilac color) complete...with foil wrist bands and jalapenos dangling from my ear lobes. I will also require some highly reflective lime green go-go boots, kiwi scented hair gel and a bean burrito sized belt buckle full of super geek gadgets. That just seems to be a super geek necessity. Tell me I get a communicator badge like captain Kirk. Seriously...I'd roll from one galactic tragedy to another in my Super Geek suit. No, I would not be causing the tragedy. Yikes. Perhaps we could fashion some rudimentary cardboard wings and duct tape them to the magic mini van. It's a bird. It's a plane. Oh dear Land...it's Super Geek. Save yourselves!

I digress.

Hopefully this gives you some ammo in the kitchen as you get ready to face the last few days of the work week. We love it around here. It's a casserole that doesn't require turning on the oven. Now isn't that nice? Take it from a Super Geek...



Enchilada Tortilla Skillet Casserole
1 poblano* pepper, (or bell pepper works too.)
1 onion, chopped
1 lb hamburger, very lean (or well seasoned ground turkey or chicken)
2 tbsp Homemade Taco Seasoning
1 can organic(15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups organic thick and chunky salsa, (roasted variety has more flavor)
4 cups broken baked organic tortilla chips
1 cup (4 oz) organic shredded cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese blend (for a lower fat version, try using only a 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar!)
Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)
Taco toppings like: fat free Sour cream, chopped avocados, fresh tomatoes and black olives (optional--but a must have around my house!)

1. Remove stem and seeds from poblano pepper, chop. Combine hamburger, onion, peppers and seasoning mix in a large skillet (12 inch or larger with a lid). Cook over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes until peppers are soft and meat is no longer pink.

2. Drain and rinse black beans.

3. Stir beans and salsa into hamburger mixture. Gently stir in tortilla chips. Grate cheese over casserole. Cover 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted everything is hot. If desired, snip cilantro; sprinkle over casserole.
Yield: 6 servings

*Poblano peppers are dark green chilies with a rich flavor that varies from mild to slightly spicy. Poblanos are about 2 1/2 in. wide and 4-5 in. long, forming a triangular shape.

For a freezer meal: Put in a freezer safe casserole dish. Combine all ingredients according to recipe until you get to the last cooking time. Don't cook. Cover, label, and freeze. To cook, heat in microwave 15-20 minutes from frozen or 5-7 minutes if defrosted.

For solar oven/conventional oven baking: Bake 1 hour from frozen, or 30 minutes if defrosted. Allow an extra 15 minutes of baking for every time you open a solar oven.

This dinner is excellent served with a Mexican brown rice or a fresh spinach salad with roasted corn kernels, tomatoes, or fresh pineapple chunks and a lime olive oil dressing. Not sure how to make salad dressing? Check out the 4 Basic Pasta Salads and One dressing for some great ideas.