Recipe: Enchilada Casserole/Lasagna

I love to make enchiladas but I didn't like the fact that it was a bit time consuming. Now when I want the taste without all the frying and rolling, I make this enchilada casserole instead. (Note: I don't care for the taste of canned sauce so I use a sauce recipe my dad put together. If you like the canned stuff, you can sub with that instead.)

Ingredients for Sauce

1 28oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
1-3 tsp of chili powder (For flavor but mild heat, use only 1 tsp. You can add more after if you'd like.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Casserole/Lasagna

2 dozen tortillas (estimate)
Cheese - Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack or a Mexican Blend (I usually make sure I have at least a small block of cheese. You can use more if you want it extra cheesy.)
Filling - You can pretty much use anything you like: beef, carnitas, turkey, chicken, fish or just cheese. You can get as fancy or as simple as you'd like. My family especially likes when I use 1 lb of ground lean turkey, 1 sautéed chopped onion, 3 sautéed minced garlic cloves, 1 can chopped olives and salt & pepper.

To Assemble

Mix the sauce ingredients together. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Let cool. (Note: This is enough sauce for a 13x9 baking dish.)

Warm about 2 dozen corn tortillas. (You can substitute with flour also.) You can use a grill to warm them and place them in a folded dish to keep them soft. You can also warm them in the oven wrapped in tin foil.

Cut the tortillas in half. Spread sauce on the bottom of you pan. Make a layer the tortillas. Spread sauce to cover tortillas. Make a layer of your filling. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with sauce. Make another layer of tortillas. Repeat the process 2-3 more times, depending on how thick you want it.

Cover the dish with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Take out of the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!