Mexican Lasagna

This is very easy and very tasty.  It can be made one day ahead then baked the next day.  It also tastes just as good as leftovers!

Servings: 6-8

Time:  Prep:  15 minutes    Cooking: 35 minutes
Hardware: Measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knives, a can opener, a skillet, a wooden spoon, a microwave safe bowl, kitchen scissors, a loaf pan, a spatula

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced bell pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (You can make your own)
• ½ cup of your favorite chunky salsa (I like Desert Pepper Trading Company)
• 1 can condensed Fiesta cheese soup
• 1 can of refried beans
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 10 inch flour tortilla
• Cooking spray
• Salsa, sour cream, and green onions for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Open the cans.  Set aside.
3. Wash and dice the onion and green pepper.
4. Heat the skillet on medium high. Add the veggies, seasoning, and ground beef.  Cook and crumble the ground beef until the meat is brown and cooked through (7-10 minutes). Drain the fat from the beef.
5. Return the meat mixture to the medium pan.  Stir in the salsa and cheese soup.  Stir until everything is completely combined and heated through.  Remove from the heat.
6. Put the beans in the microwave safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes, or until heated.
7. Spray the loaf pan with cooking spray.
8. Using the kitchen scissors, slice a tortilla shell to fit in the bottom of the pan.  You may need to arrange pieces from more than one slice to cover the bottom of the pan.  You may overlap the tortillas.
9. Spread ⅓ of the beans over the tortilla shells with the spatula.  Cover the beans in 1 cup of the meat mixture and one cup of the cheese.  Cut another tortilla to cover the cheese mixture.  Press down firmly on the tortillas to compact the lasagna.  Continue layering in this manner, pressing down on the tortillas each time.  Finish with cheese.
10. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow the lasagna to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
11. While the lasagna is cooling, slice the green onions.
12. To serve, spread salsa on the plate.  Lay a slice of lasagna on the salsa, top with a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle with green onions.