Tex-Mex Lasagna
Mexican Lasagna is exactly what it sounds like: an artful combination of Mexican and Italian cuisines by layering Mexican ingredients in a casserole dish to look like the iconic Italian lasagna. It was actually one of my dad’s favorite dishes that my mom made. Confession time though… growing up this was NOT one of my favorites. In fact, when my mom would make Mexican Lasagna for a quick, weeknight dinner, I often complained (which I deeply regret now that I’m older and wiser). As a working woman now, I not only LOVE the flavors of this dish, but I also LOVE the fact that the recipe calls for mostly semi-prepared or canned ingredients, and it only takes about 15 min to prepare before throwing it in the oven!!
For clarification, this is is NOT my mom’s original Mexican Lasagna recipe. I took the liberty of putting my own spin on her invention by adding a few more Tex-Mex ingredients and spices! This is also a highly customizable recipe so feel free to swap or leave out ingredients as you see fit. As long as it tastes the way you like and fits in a 9x9 baking dish, you can’t go wrong!! (Note: This Tex-Mex Lasagna is also GREAT leftover.)
Tex-Mex Lasagna
Prep Time: 15 min; Cook Time: 25 min (Total Time: 40 min)
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles or Ro-Tel (drained)
1 can green chiles (with juices)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bag tortilla chips
Cooked chicken — I prefer to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or 2-3 grilled chicken breasts but you can even use canned, shredded chicken. (Yes, I said canned chicken!) If you would prefer, you can also grill or roast your own; but in my opinion, that’s just extra work that adds unnecessary time.
2 diced jalapeños + 1 extra jalapeño for garnish (optional)
1 can of corn (drained and rinsed)
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
8 oz sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican cheese blend, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, etc.)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the tomato sauce, drained tomatoes with green chiles (Ro-Tel), green chiles, corn, black beans, jalapeños, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Stir until combined and set aside.
Cover the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish with a thin layer of the tomato sauce mixture.
Crush tortilla chips and generously cover the tomato sauce. (This is acting as your lasagna noodle and first layer.)
Dollop small amounts of sour cream evenly around the chips and spread carefully so it forms a thin layer. (This acts as your ricotta mixture in a traditional lasagna.)
Add a layer of the tomato sauce mixture (This is like your Italian tomato sauce.)
Add a layer of shredded chicken.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Repeat the layering steps once more: 1) Tortilla Chips, 2) Sour Cream, 3) tomato mixture, 4) Chicken, 5) Shredded Cheese)
Once you finish the second round of layering, top the casserole with one more layer of crushed tortilla chips, a light layer of the remaining tomato sauce mixture, and more shredded cheese.
Optional: top with sliced jalapeños.
Bake at 425 degrees for 25 min or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Let cool for about 10 min before serving. Top with avocado slices, sour cream or any of your favorite taco toppings. (Sometimes if I have some leftover tortilla chips, I’ll crumble a few more on top for extra crunch!)
Combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (Ro-Tel), green chiles, corn, black beans, jalapeños, and spices. Mix to combine.
Spread a THIN layer of tomato mixture in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.
Add a layer of crushed tortilla chips. (Tortilla Chips = Lasagna Noodles)
Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the chips. (Sour Cream = Ricotta Mixture)
Layer the tomato sauce mixture on top. (Tomato Sauce Mixture = Italian Tomato Sauce)
Distribute shredded cooked chicken evenly on top of tomato mixture.
Add layer of shredded cheese blend. (I like Pepper Jack + Cheddar but you can use whatever you like.)
Repeat the layering steps one more time and then finish with one more layer of tortilla chips.
Add one last, thin layer of remaining tomato sauce mixture.
Finish with more shredded cheese and sliced jalapeños (optional).
Bake at 425 degrees for 25 min until cheese is melted and golden.
Allow to cool for 10 min before serving to allow the casserole to set.
Serve with sliced avocado, sour cream, or any of your favorite taco toppings!
Note: You can easily swap the chicken for steak or your favorite protein, or leave it out altogether to make it a vegetarian dish!
COURTNEY’S ANGEL FLAKE BISCUITS
A heavenly biscuit recipe by my own angel
It’s only fitting that the FIRST recipe I post on here be from the woman who not only brought me into this world, but also brought me into the kitchen for the first time.
This recipe in particular holds a special place in my heart because it was one of HER very first recipes. She created this recipe for one of her Home Economics classes and carried it with her all the way through to her adult life. She often packaged the dry ingredients as biscuit mixes to give as gifts; and now I carry on this same tradition of gifting Courtney’s Angel Flake Biscuits to family, friends, and neighbors. It’s my way of ensuring her legacy lives on. This recipe holds a lot of meaning, especially now… The name she so sweetly bestowed upon these fluffy pillows of deliciousness has only become even more fitting after she passed. She is in every way MY angel now, and each time I make them its like she’s giving me a huge hug.
I have to admit, I was hesitant to officially share this recipe with the world. It feels like giving away a piece of my mom, and therefore an even bigger piece of my heart. But isn’t that what this blog is supposed to be about?! Sharing my heart! So without further ado… here is the official recipe for Courtney’s Angel Flake Biscuits (Warning: Your self control will be severely threatened when these come out of the oven… they’re literally heavenly)!
Courtney’s Angel Flake Biscuits
Prep Time: 20-25 min; Cook Time: 10 min (Total Time: 25-30 min)
Yield: 30-35 small-medium sized biscuits or 20-25 large
Ingredients:
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon (heaping) salt
2 cups buttermilk (*Note: If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own with 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice and enough whole milk to measure 2 cups.)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 package active dry yeast
Directions:
To Prepare the Dough:
Pour the yeast into 1/4 cup warm water and let sit for 5-8 minutes until the yeast is dissolved.
While the yeast is dissolving, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir with a fork so the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Drizzle the oil into the dry ingredients slowly while simultaneously mixing with a fork so the oil is evenly incorporated into the mixture (there should be clumps).
Stir the dissolved yeast and water mixture to ensure all of the yeast is dissolved and pour it into the flour and oil mixture stirring with a fork so it is evenly distributed.
Pour in the buttermilk slowly, mixing with a fork just until a soft dough is formed (the mixture will be quite wet and sticky at this stage and that is okay). Be careful not to overmix!
Store the dough in a bowl with an airtight lid or cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and use as needed. Do NOT let the dough rise!
To Prepare the Biscuits:
Place the dough on a generously floured board or clean countertop and roll the dough around so it is evenly covered and no longer too sticky to roll out. (*Note: You can also roll the dough out between two large pieces of parchment paper which will make clean up easy.)
Roll the dough out 1/2 inch thick and use a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or a glass to cut out biscuits.
Place them on an ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet (or a sheet lined with parchment paper).
Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes (depending on the size of your biscuits) until they are a light golden brown. (almost angel-like!)
Serve with butter, honey, or jam… and enjoy the little pillows of heaven!
Scroll to the bottom for a bonus recipe idea using this dough!
Pour the entire packet of dry yeast into a 1/4 cup warm water and let sit while it dissolves.
Mix the remaining dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a fork.
Drizzle the oil into the flour mixture and stir with a fork.
There should be small-medium (pea-sized) clumps in the mixture at this point.
Give the yeast and water mixture a quick stir to ensure it is completely dissolved. Then add to the oil and flour mixture and stir with a fork.
Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms.
Do NOT overmix! The dough will be very wet and sticky at this point.
Generously flour a board or countertop and roll the dough around lightly in the flour until it is no longer sticking and is manageable to work with.
Roll the dough out about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut out rounds of the dough using a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or round glass.
Bake on an ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet or sheet lined with parchment at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until they are a very light golden brown.
Best served with butter, honey, and/or jam!
Bonus Recipe: Angel Flake Kolaches
Prep Time: 25-30 min; Cook Time: 10 min (Total Time: 35-40 min)
Yield: 30-35 kolaches
Ingredients:
Angel Flake Biscuit Dough
Mini Lit’l Smokies sausage links (Or if you can’t find them, any kind of sliced sausage link / hot dog will work)
Cheddar cheese slices (Or any good melting cheese of your choice — I like American, Gouda, or Pepper Jack)
Directions:
Prepare the Angel Flake Biscuit Dough according to instructions.
Pat the sausages dry with a paper towel (if they are too wet the biscuit dough will not adhere to them).
Slice the cheese into small strips so they are about the same size as the sausages (you can use shredded cheese if you don’t have slices but it will be a little more difficult to stuff the kolaches.
Roll the dough out between 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness on a generously floured surface.
Cut out circles of dough using a small biscuit cutter or a glass.
Place one piece of cheese in the center, followed by a piece of sausage and another piece of cheese on top. Wrap the dough tightly around the sausage and cheese and seal the edges tightly shut.
Place the kolaches seam side down on an ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet (or sheet lined with parchment paper).
Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until they are light golden brown (Note: these may take a few minutes longer than the regular Angel Flake Biscuits since they are filled).
Allow to cool briefly and then serve. These are excellent re-heated the next day in the oven.
Cut out rounds 1/4 thick. Place a slice of cheese in the center, then place a sausage on top followed by another piece of cheese.
Wrap the dough around the sausage and cheese sealing the edges tightly shut.
Place the kolaches seam side down on an ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet (or sheet lined with parchment paper) and bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes.
It’s okay if some of the cheese seeps out. (In fact, these crispy cheese skirts are the best part in my opinion!)
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Today (May 15, 2021) is the 4th anniversary of my mom’s passing, and therefore her 4th birthday as my angel. It’s an honor to get to share a piece of my angel with you all today in the form of these fluffy biscuits. Enjoy (and don’t forget to share)!
Love, Kend