Burritos Grande

Remember back in the day when you’d buy those frozen burritos and either pop them in the microwave or oven and have a quick and easy dinner in no time?  That’s pretty much what these homemade burritos reminded me of last night for our annual Cinco de Mayo backyard dinner. 

Last year I did taco burgers, but this year, I wanted something more traditional.  Burritos.  Now you know me – I’m big into ground turkey – but last night I went for the ground beef… more “authentic” I suppose.  With some refried beans down the center, topped with the beef mixture and a sprinkle of cheese, these little guys were wrapped up, baked, topped with cheese, and baked a little more before being topped with sour cream and salsa. 

They were awesome… especially on our patriotic paper plates in the backyard.

Burritos Grande

 

Burritos Grande

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• ½ c sour cream
• 1 can refried beans
• 12 tortillas
• 2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Salsa and sour cream for topping

How You Do It:

1. Brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Stir in taco seasoning and ¾ c water.  Mix to combine.
2. Remove from heat and stir in ½ c sour cream.
3. Spread spoonful of beans down each tortilla and top with about ¼ c meat mixture.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit of cheese and fold like a burrito (sides in, then roll).
4. Place in a 9x13 baking dish (I had to use two), cover, and bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
5. Uncover, top with remaining cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

 Burritos Grande recipe adapted from Kraft Recipes.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I always love it when my husband comes home from work and asks if I had blogged about dinner the previous night.  Usually it means he brought leftovers for lunch and all the lady teachers around the table want to either try what he brought or make it themselves!

Such was the case last night when he came home.  I had made these Mexican stuffed shells the night before and sent them for lunch the next day.  They take a little prep, which is why I put them together Sunday afternoon, so that when I got home from work on Monday, all I had to do was add the taco sauce on top and pop them in the oven.

These are a great combination of those infamous Italian stuffed shells and tacos.  The salsa on the bottom combined with the taco sauce on top make the perfect sauce and you control the heat – we use mild everything in our house, but go for the hot stuff it that’s what you like!  And who doesn't like melted cheese.  I topped mine with sour cream and the hubs ate his as-is.

Give these a try and to the ladies at FIS – enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Mexican Stuffed Shells

What You Need:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 4 oz. cream cheese (I used 5 wedges of this)
• 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 ½ c salsa
• 1 c taco sauce
• 1 package shredded Mexican blend cheese

How You Do It:

1. Cook shells according to package.  Drain and let cool.
2. While the shells cook, cook ground turkey in large skillet until no longer pink.
3. Add taco seasoning and required water, and stir to combine.
4. Add cream cheese and incorporate until blended.  Let meat mixture cool.
5. Once shells and meat are cooled, pour salsa in the bottom on a baking dish (I used a 9” square dish)
6. Fill shells with meat mixture and place seam-side-up in dish.
7. Top with taco sauce, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 350*.
8. Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mexican Stuffed Shells recipe adapted from The Way to His Heart.

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole

Once upon a time, my college roommate / best friend and I lived in this super run-down red house in Minneapolis.  It was pretty bad… the floors were slanted, there was a hole, yes a hole, in our shower, and once, the ceiling leaked from the toilet in the upper unit right down into our kitchen – disgusting.

I was almost always done with class before her and would almost always be sitting on the couch watching Food Network when she got home.  She would walk in, say hello, and shake her head at me thinking “you really need to watch that every night?!”

Well, if you ask her now, she knew why.  I would cook up a storm, and now, so does she.  So much so, that back before we were both East Coast transplants and both still living in Minneapolis, she had me over and whipped up this little doozie.

Super easy, super fast, and super tasty – what could be wrong with chicken, broccoli, cheese, and a little stuffing.  This quick casserole (or hot dish, as they call it in Minnesota) comes together in no time – dice some chicken, cut some broccoli, dump in some soup, cheese, and milk, top it with stuffing… and into the oven it goes.

So last night’s dinner gives a shout-out to The Adventures of Liz and Molly – four years (and then a couple post-college) never to be replicated…

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar,
and Chicken Casserole

What You Need:

• 3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
• 2 crowns, fresh broccoli, broken apart
• ½ c milk
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 ½ c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 6oz package stove top stuffing

How You Do It:

1. Combine chicken and broccoli in a baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine soup, milk and cheese; pour over chicken and broccoli mixture.
3. In another bowl, add 1 ¼ c hot water to stuffing mix and stir to combine; top casserole with stuffing.
4. Bake at 400*  30 min. or until chicken is done and casserole is heated through.

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole recipe adapted from Kraft.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

It’s been quite some time since I've been this jazzed about a recipe, but let me tell you about this new- turned-favorite meatball recipe. 

By now you've probably noticed I’m a sucker for meatballs.  So when we had a very lazy weekend at home, I took the opportunity to try yet another rendition.  This time, combining my love for meatballs with my love for hamburgers. 

Seriously – it’s like all the flavors of a Big Mac were combined into the perfectly moist little ball of burger and dipped into that infamous “secret sauce”.  You won’t even miss the bun.  And you know me, always using lean ground turkey in place of beef.  Not this time: beef was what’s for dinner.  I used lean ground beef – a 95/5 split – and they were moist enough that the hubs requested the leftovers for lunch today (he usually steers clear of anything that might dry out when reheated).  And don’t shy away from chopping up that dill pickle for the mixture – it adds just the right balance of pickle-to-burger.

I’m telling you – these are not to miss.   In fact, I’m already dreaming up the variations on a theme – mushroom and swiss, [turkey] bacon and cheddar, pizza ([turkey] pepperoni, mozzarella, pizza sauce), and my personal favorite: cowboy (bbq fried onion)... the possibilities are endless.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with “Special Sauce”

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 dill pickle spear, chopped
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

What You Need for the “Special Sauce”:

• 1/3 c mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3/4 tsp onion powder

How You Do It:

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion soup mix, chopped pickles, ketchup, garlic powder, and egg. Add the breadcrumbs and cheese and mix well. 
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake at 375*F, 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
4. While the meatballs bake, mix the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce" recipe adapted from BakeYourDay.net

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Talk about an easy recipe!  Three ingredients, the slow cooker, and then finish it off in oven just to melt the cheese - can't get much better!  Not only that, but the chances you have two, if not all three of these ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator/freezer, is pretty good.

It's as easy as popping some frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker, dumping a jar of your favorite salsa on top, and three hours later, the chicken is ready to be topped with cheese and transferred into the oven to melt.

That's it - it's that easy.   No hidden secrets, no fancy tools.  Just a slow cooker, a baking dish, and the oven and you're left with super moist chicken with great flavor from the salsa with as much heat as you desire, covered with gooey cheese.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

What You Need:

• 5 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 jar salsa
• 1 c shredded Mexican blend cheese

How You Do It:

1. Spray the basin of the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add frozen chicken and cover with salsa.
2. Cook on high 3 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to baking dish and cover with salsa.  
4. Top with cheese and bake at 400* 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken recipe adapted from Jo Cooks.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

Meeting with the trainer last night, I knew when I got home I was going to be much too exhausted to cook dinner, so I had totally planned on throwing something into the slow cooker yesterday morning.  But, much to my dismay, I had forgotten to pick up the key ingredient for the recipe when I went grocery shopping this weekend.  So I whipped together this one that had been sitting in my stack (ok, mountain) of recipes to try and luckily I had everything on hand. 

Now, I will admit, I would use a different jar of sauce next time since I didn't particularly care for the one I used, or even make my own and measure it out to the 24-oz needed, but overall this was really good, really easy, and a really balanced meal… especially since I about tripled the amount of spinach the original recipe called for.

A quick and easy meal to whip together, even after getting your ass kicked at the gym.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

 

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

What You Need:

• ½ box spaghetti
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 16 oz fresh baby spinach
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

How You Do It:

1. Cook pasta to desired doneness.
2. While pasta cooks, cook chicken in a deep skillet until no longer pink.
3. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.  Add sauce, stir to combine, and simmer 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.
4. Add spinach in batches, and cook until wilted, stirring frequently.
5. Serve chicken/spinach mixture over pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet recipe adapted from KraftRecipes.com

Stove-Top Mac & Cheese

Alright friends, I know it’s been a while and there has been a lot going on, but I’ve got to share this amazing mac and cheese recipe I made this past weekend for Friendsgiving 2013.

Now, I must start with two points:

1.  I don’t like homemade mac and cheese.  I can’t get the consistency right.  So I just don’t make it.
2. This was a special request from my favorite Shaw.  Otherwise, see point 1.

So, now that’s all out there, I have to admit – this recipe was to die for.  To.  Die.  For.  Yes, I used whole fat milk and whole fat cheese and yes, it was totally worth it.  This recipe is cheesy and gooey and does not solidify and become granular as so many of the other mac and cheese recipes I’ve tried does.

I doubled the original recipe (my version is below with a full pound of pasta) which I totally recommend.  We had 18 people around our Friendsgiving table and this was by far the first thing to go – even before coveted Green Bean Casserole or “Carrot Stuff”.

I made this ahead of time and kept it warm in a slow cooker before our meal and had to add some additional milk to keep it moist and creamy – next year I would do this just before dinner to avoid any chance of drying out and to keep that amazing creaminess this offered.

So when you’re in the mood for some serious (and I mean serious!) cheesy comfort food, try this.  You won’t be sorry.

Stove-Top Mac & Cheese

 

Stove-Top Mac & Cheese

What You Need:

• 1 box (1 lb) elbow macaroni
• 1 stick butter
• 4 eggs
• 12 ounces evaporated milk
• 1teaspoon hot sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 8-oz blocks sharp yellow cheddar, grated using a box grater
• 1 8-oz block mild yellow cheddar, grated using a box grater

How You Do It:

1. In a large pot, cook the pasta until desired doneness. Drain and return to pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat.
2. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt & pepper to taste, and mustard. Stir into the drained pasta and mix to combine.
3. Add the cheeses and stir to incorporate and melt
4. Continue to stir over low heat until creamy.

Stove-Top Mac & Cheese recipe adapted from the amazing Alton Brown via FoodNetwork.com.  

White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar

Ever go out for dinner and love something so much you search the interweb for hours upon days upon months for the recipe but come up empty-handed?  Well, that’s what I've been doing since April with the hubs and I went back to the Frozen Tundra (aka Wisconsin) to visit my parents for Passover. 

The night before the seder we always go out for dinner because the table is already set for the 30+ people my mother hosts, and this past year we went to a local place – Fratellos.  And what do they serve?  A little bit of everything, but a lot of something: the best White Chicken Chili I've ever eaten. 

Once we got home, back in April, I've been scrubbing every search engine possible to find the secret recipe, but to no avail.  I did, however, come across this gem, which is not the same but pretty close.

The color is there, the texture is there, and the flavor, just about there.  The milk, beans, and cheddar give it the creamy and thickness, and the little cumin really makes the flavor pop. 

I will not give up looking for the original recipe, for now, this will have to do.

White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar

 

White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar

What You Need:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 1 fresh jalapeno, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 can (15 oz) cream-style corn
• 2 cans (4 oz each) diced mild green chiles
• 2 c whole milk (I used unsweetened almond milk to cut the fat)
• 1 can (15 oz) navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 c shredded cooked chicken
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 c white aged cheddar cheese, shredded 

How You Do It:

1. Add oil to large pot and sauté onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add cumin, corn, green chiles, milk, and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken and season with salt (not much, if any, the cheese has enough) and pepper.
4. Stir in cheese until blended.

White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar recipe adapted from Food Network.

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

I probably have mentioned before I have a love for Mexican food.  We don’t have it often, but every once and a while I can't resist.  So, here’s a quick and easy taco recipe a bit different from chopped meat with a packet of seasoning. 

Other than the hard shells and enchilada sauce, I had everything for this recipe on hand.  I always keep shredded/diced cooked chicken in the freezer in 2-cup packages, usually leftover from making chicken soup, but could easily be pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.  The seasonings are staples in my cabinet and I almost always have an onion or two in the pantry.  And with all the beer left from my birthday bash a couple weeks ago, there was no shortage there.

One pot does the trick for this one and really you need only about 20 minutes from start to finish – a quick and easy Mexican fix.  While there is a little beer in the recipe, didn't taste it much at all and the chili powder (which next time I would reduce) and enchilada sauce gave this a nice heat.

And – I cannot close out without a shout out to the hard shells.  We don’t normally go the hard taco route, but I saw an ad for these “fiesta flats” and had to see for myself.  Let me tell you – they are genius!  You can fill them and set them without tipping.  And while I still stand by the soft shell and feel hard shells get stale while they sit on the table (and most often than not, are stale when you take them out of the package) these were a rare treat.

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos

What You Need:

• 2 c diced cooked chicken
• ½ large onion, diced
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• ¾ c beer
• 1 tbsp chili powder (I might try ½ tbsp next time)
• ½ tsp cumin
• Shells and toppings as desired (We topped ours with sour cream and a little shredded cheese)

How You Do It:

1. Sauté chicken and onion in rimmed skillet until onion starts to soften, about 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add seasonings, beer, and enchilada sauce.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to an almost-simmer, and cook an additional 15 minutes uncovered, until the sauce reduces to desired consistency.  (Note:  I added a little slurry to thicken at the end).

Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

Last night we were supposed to toss something on the grill for dinner.  It has been a pretty hectic week and I wasn't really interested in putzing around in the kitchen.  Alas, something on the grill!  However, yesterday morning I got a text from the hubs asking if I had a backup plan: it was pretty gross outside - rain, fog, a real mess.  I knew there wasn't much in our refrigerator (read: a pretty hectic week) and that I really didn't want to go out or even order in, but I did have a package of ground turkey in the freezer.  The hubs took it out to defrost.

That brings us to last night's dinner - this pretty much tex-mex-ish mac and cheese.  The sauce takes a little help from the grocery g-ds, canned soup and prepared salsa, but sometimes you just need a little help - nothing wrong there!  Combined with a little corn hitting on my midwestern roots, ground turkey instead of beef to hit the somewhat-health factor, and some veggie pasta, I had dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.  Take that, Mother Nature!

The slight salsa flavor paired with the cheese soup really made a nice combination of mac and cheese meets chips and salsa.  For something quick and easy to hit the table on a night when you don't really feel like cooking, give this a try!

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

What You Need:

• 2 1/2 c uncooked bow-tie pasta
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1 c salsa
• 1 c frozen corn (do not defrost)
• 1 1/2 c shredded cheese

How You Do It:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions, or done to your liking.
2. While pasta cooks, in a large skillet, brown turkey.
3. Add onion and saute until slightly softened.
4. Add soup, salsa, and corn, stir to combine, and let simmer while pasta finishes cooking.
5. Drain pasta and add to meat mixture.  Sprinkle on cheese and let melt.

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com.

Baked Chicken Panzanella

Have you ever had a panzanella salad?  You know, the Italian bread salad with tons of fresh bread and tomatoes tossed with leafy lettuce?  Well, this quick and easy casserole is a warm spin on said salad. 

The combination of flavors is subtle and amazing - diced chicken with seasoned diced tomatoes, seasoned croutons, and Italian dressing.  Nothing more than that.  Layered and baked, then topped with shredded parmesan, though I bet this would be just as good with an Italian blend or even shredded mozzarella (mom!).  Top it off with some fresh basil and you're good to go.

The croutons might be throwing you off a little, but the combination of some crunchy, some a little soggy really makes for an interesting twist.  I know, just give it a try!

Baked Chicken Panzanella

Baked Chicken Panzanella

What You Need:

• 2 c chopped cooked chicken
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, onion and oregano, drained
• 1 package (5 oz) Italian-seasoned croutons
• 1/4 c Italian dressing
• 3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c sliced fresh basil leaves

How You Do It:

1. In a square baking dish, layer chicken, tomatoes,  and croutons. Drizzle with Italian dressing. 
2. Cover and bake 350* 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle with basil

Baked Chicken Panzanella recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

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.

Baked Tacos

Tonight's recipe is one of those that very well could have used a huge cheat from the pantry: a taco seasoning packet.  However, I highly suggest trying the recipe below, which includes making your own taco seasoning.  Not only do you probably have all the ingredients already in your spice rack, but you can control the amount of salt going in (and in this case, none!).  And... I would dare to say you would never know by the taste that you made your own seasoning.

Now - on to the tacos themselves.  A little ground meat, add in some tomato sauce, refried beans, and that taco seasoning, and you have your filling.  Then - the trick: baking the tacos, stuffed and cheesed.  They were great!  The filling was warm, the cheese, melted - all that was left was to top them off with your condiments of choice. 

The only bit in question with these tacos was the shells themselves.  We don't usually go hard-shell, but this is the best to use.  Upon our first bites, both the hubs and I thought maybe the pre-packaged shelled might have been stale - or - when you bake the shells they get a little chewy/stale.  Have yet to make a final verdict on the shells themselves, but a good taco recipe nonetheless. 

If you make these, report back on the shells, if you would be so kind!

Baked Tacos

Baked Tacos

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground meat (I used ground turkey)
• 2 tsp dried minced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 4 oz (1/2 can) tomato sauce
• 8 oz (1/2 can) refried beans
• Shredded cheese (I used this)
• 10 hard taco shells (I used these)

How You Do It:

1. In a small bowl, combine minced onion, chili powder, cornstarch, cumin, and oregano. 
2. In large skillet, brown meat until no longer pink.  Add seasoning mix, tomato sauce, and refried beans.  Mix to combine.
3. Divide mix into 10 taco shells and place in baking dish.
4. Top with cheese.
5. Bake 400* 5-8 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Baked Tacos recipe adapted from BlogChef.

Southwest Tortilla Bake

"Don't mind that this looks like mush," I said as we sat down to the table for dinner tonight.  Yep, tonight's meal didn't make the best of presentation, and frankly, I should have snapped a photo before I cut into this puppy, but alas, I did the best I could.

Ok, I digress.  Yes, tonight's dinner looks like a mess on the plate, but the flavor was awesome.  I love Mexican food, as I believe I have mentioned previously.  And while I don't make it all that often, when I do, I do.  This recipe was so easy to make - really, it only has six ingredients, most of which you can purchase from the store and use as-is.  Food Network's Sandra Lee has coined this a "semi-homemade" dish.  And you know what, they are good and sometimes better than making something 100% from scratch.

This one is ooey and gooey and cheesey and delicious.  A deep pie pan is totally recommended - I used my not-so-new-but-first-time-being-used Pampered Chef deep dish pie pan I got for my - gulp - wedding shower.  It was perfect.  And don't be alarmed about how full the pin pan is - mine was to the rim and didn't make a mess of the oven.

My only suggestion - which I will do on the next go-around of this recipe - is to really let this sit for a solid 5-7 minutes before you attempt to cut and serve.  I think this would have helped it stay togheter and not look like mush on the plate.

Yet again, another Mexican fiesta on a plate!

Southwest Tortilla Bake

Southwest Tortilla Bake

What You Need:

• 1 can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Roasted Garlic with Chicken Stock cooking sauce
• 1/2 c salsa
• 2 c cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 can Mexicorn, drained
• 3-4 tortillas
• 2 c shredded taco cheese

How You Do It:

1. Combine cooking sauce and salsa in bowl.
2. Combine corn and chicken in separate bowl.
3. Spread 1 cup sauce on bottom of pie pan.  Top with 1 tortilla, 1 cup sauce, 1/3 chicken mixture, and 1/3 cheese.  
4. Repeat tortilla-sauce-chicken-cheese layers until the pie pan is full, ending with cheese.
5. Bake 350* for 30 minutes until the center is warm and the cheese is lightly browned.
6. Let sit for 5-7 minutes to set before serving.

Southwest Tortilla Bake recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com.