Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

"I don't like this," he said as he put his fork down after the first bite.  At first, I thought maybe it was his stomach not agreeing with the Mexican.  Then, "I like refried beans, but that's all I can taste."  Ah hah.  Too much bean flavor.  I probably should have known better,  but I suppose I was just hoping for a better outcome.  That, sadly, was not the case.  So go-to pantry staple - pasta - went on the stovetop, for him. 

I, on the other hand, really love this recipe.  And frankly, what's not to love:  cheese, good! tortillas, good! ground meat (I used turkey), good!  salsa, good!  refried beans, good!  That's it - that's all you need.  5 minutes at the stovetop, 3 minutes to layer in the pan, and another 15 to marry it all together, and you're good to go.  Well, at least I was.

You win some, you lose some.

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)
• 1 can refried beans (I used fat-free)
• 1/4 c salsa
• 2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 4 tortillas (I used whole grain)

How You Do It:

1. Brown mean until no longer pink.  Stir in refried beans and salsa until combined.
2. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a deep pie pan.  Top with 1/4 meat mixture and 1/4 cheese.
3. Repeat layers ending with cheese.
4. Bake 350* 15 minutes.

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake recipe adapted from my mom.