Layered Fiesta Casserole

This is definitely one of my favorite dishes to make and eat.  It's quick, simple and tasty!  Kraftfoods.com is full of easy and tasty recipes like this. It's so simple and easy that I taught my bachelor friend, whose cooking skills stop after spaghetti, how to make this and he thought it was easy. Woah.  Good stuff.








INGREDIENTS
1 lb extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 can red kidney or black beans, rinsed & drained (optional)
1 jar (16oz) salsa (thick & chunky is best)
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed OR 1 can of corn, drained
12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese


DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 375°
2.  Brown meat with peppers in a large skillet; drain. Then return to skillet.
3.  Add salsa, tomatoes, corn and beans to the meat mixture and stir well.
4.  Spread about 1 cup of the meat mixture into the bottom of  13 x 9 pan.
5.  Top with 6 corn tortillas, overlapping when necessary.
6.  Cover the tortillas with half of the meat mixture.
7.  Cover the meat mixture with half the cheese.  Save the other half for later.
8.  Top with 6 more overlapping corn tortillas.
9.  Cover tortillas with the other half of the meat mixture.
10.  Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through.
11. Top with remaining cheese and let stand for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.




SERVINGS AND WW POINTS
Serves 8
6 WW Points w/ turkey 
7 WW Points w/ turkey and beans
7 WW Points w/ extra-lean beef 
8 WW Points w/ extra-lean beef and beans


Kneekole's Notes & Comments
* Great dish to take to family that just welcomed new baby into the world. :)  Only takes about 15 minutes to prepare before baking.  


* You can vary the "heat" of the dish by using medium or hot salsa or trading out some of the bell peppers for peppers with more kick.


* Thawing the frozen corn doesn't take a lot of time like thawing meat does.  All you need to do is place the frozen corn in a colander and run cool water over it for a couple of minutes.  If you're in even more of a hurry, just drain a can of corn and you'll be good to go. 


* You can add and much or as little as you'd like to the meat mixture.  Add two types of beans or more corn.  It all works out in the end. 




Enjoy!




For more nutritional information and the original recipe, visit Kraft Foods.com

Curried Chicken Sauté

Simple, quick, light, flavorful and a variety of textures.  Thanks Cooking Light November 2010!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tsp curry powder, divided
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
8 oz mixed bell pepper, sliced
1 c light coconut milk
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lime
2 c cooked rice


DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle 1 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper over chicken.  Coat pan with cooking spray. 
2.  Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.  Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. Add bell peppers & remaining 1/2 tsp curry powder to pan; sauté 1 minute.  
4.  Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes, or until mixture is slightly thickened.
5.  Cut lime in half.  Squeeze 1 half of the lime into the bell pepper mixture, the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and stir.  Cut the remaining half of the lime into 4 wedges.  
6. Cut chicken across gain into thin slices.  Serve chicken with bell pepper mixture and a lime wedge over 1/2 c cooked rice.


SERVINGS AND WW POINTS
Serves 4
6 WW points




Kneekole's Notes & Comments
*  (Whenever I cook chicken breasts on the stove, I think, "Man, I should flatten these so they cook faster."  But in my excitement to cook, I forget this step until my chicken is almost fully cooked, minus the thick parts. :)   So, here's to you remembering! ) Slightly flatten the chicken breasts before cooking.  Just place the breast between two pieces of syran wrap and whack it a few times with a meat mallet (flat side) or a big ol' soup can if you don't have a mallet - just enough to flatten out the thick parts.


* I had about 3/4 cup of coconut milk left from the Curried Potatoes & Squash I made last week so I just used that.  It could have used that little extra liquid.  So don't skimp on the coconut milk!  


* Don't forget limes on your shopping list.  I did.  I had a "fake" lime in the fridge so that helped with the juice...but it's not the same.  Fresh lime juice makes a big difference in any dish.  


* A very simple and light dish.  Definitely something I'd make again.  


For more nutritional information and for the original recipe, visit My Recipes.com.