Mexican Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:
Cooking Oil Spray
6 Corn Tortillas, cut into quarters
1 Large Egg
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Mild Chunky Salsa
1 lb Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded
4 oz Cream Cheese, half inch cubed
2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
3 Scallions, chopped
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
2 Cups Mexican Cheese Blend, divided

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F°.
2. Place the quartered tortillas on an oil sprayed baking sheet, then spray the tops with additional oil.
3. Bake for 5 minutes, remove and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk one egg. Add the milk, sour cream, salsa, shredded chicken, cubed cream cheese, cilantro, scallions and salt. Stir to combine.
5. Arrange half of the par-baked tortillas on the bottom of an oil sprayed 7×11 baking dish. Layer half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, then layer 1 cup of the cheese blend on top.
6. Continue to layer the rest of the tortillas on top, followed by the remaining chicken mixture and cheese.
7. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.
8. Serve.

Mexican Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS:
12 oz dried rigatoni pasta (3 cups)
1 lb. pork sausage
1 cup chopped onion (I used half of a small one)
1 16-oz jar green salsa
2 8-oz pkg shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 cups)
Optional Toppings:
tomato wedges, sliced jalapenos, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 3-quart baking dish; set aside. 
2. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in large skillet cook sausage and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain fat. Return sausage/onion mixture to skillet. Stir in green salsa.
4. In prepared baking dish, layer half of the cooked pasta, half the sausage mixture, and half the cheese. Repeat layers.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes. 
6. If desired, top with tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro and serve with additional salsa.

Upside Down Taco Pizza

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese (I just used the whole bag of Mexican blend, 2 cups)
1 box JIFFY corn muffin mix
Optional: jalapenos, black beans, corn

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Brown meat in pan; drain fat
3. Stir in taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water; let simmer 5 minutes
4. In a separate bowl, mix the corn muffin mix according to package
5. Remove meat from stove and pour into an 8x8 baking dish
6. Cover with cheese
7. Layer any optional  toppings
8. Take the corn muffin mixture and layer over cheese
9. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

*Recipe from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole

INGREDIENTS:
1 onion, chopped (I only used half)
1 celery stick, chopped
1/2 stick butter
11 oz pack of chopped broccoli
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz of velveeta, cubed and melted (I used 8 oz)
dash of tobasco
pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. saute onion and celery in butter
3. combine with remaining ingredients and mix well
4. pour into 2 quart baking dish
5. bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until bubbly

Spaghetti Pie

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Spaghetti, cooked (about 1/2 a package)
2 Large Eggs, whisked
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 Lb Ground Beef
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 16 Oz Jar Marinara Sauce
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/2 Tsp Italian Herbs
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the cooked spaghetti in a bowl and coat with 1 tbsp of olive oil.
3. Combine the eggs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Add mixture to the spaghetti and mix.
4. Place the spaghetti mixture into a greased deep-dish pie plate and spread to make a “pie crust”.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the ground turkey, salt, garlic and onion powder for 5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
6. Pour the marinara sauce over the meat and stir to combine.
7. In a bowl stir the Ricotta cheese, the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and Italian herbs to combine.
8. Spread the Ricotta/Parmesan cheese mixture over the pasta, then layer the marinara mixture and finally, top with 1 cup of mozzarella.
9. Place dish on a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Cool, cut into wedges and serve.

**recipe from Weelicious

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. 
3. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.
4. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. 
6. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. 
7. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. 
8. Place the mixture in a buttered 8x8 baking dish. 
9. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. 
10. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. 
11. Dot the top with small bits of butter. 
12. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

*recipe from The Food Network

Fiesta Pie

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, divided
3/4 lb lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
2 Tbsp milk
Optional Toppings: tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeños

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cook grits according to package, add garlic powder
3. Combine flour and cheddar cheese; stir into grits.
4. Stir 1 egg into mixture until well blended
5. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate; press with back of spoon to form a shell; set aside.
6. Cook ground beef and taco mix in a large skillet until meat browns; drain.
7. Spread meat mixture into pie shell
8. Top with 3/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
9. Combine 2 eggs and milk; pour over pie
10. Add toppings of your choice, optional
11. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes
12. Remove from oven; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
13. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing