Pioneer Woman Mexican Casserole Recipes

BEEF ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the beef is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour off the fat, then add the green chiles, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the tomato and 1 cup water and simmer gently until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the corn and set aside.
• Cover the casserole with foil, tenting it so it doesn't touch the cheese. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until bubbly and hot, about 20 minutes more. Switch the oven to broil and broil until just golden on top, about 5 minutes. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Top with the olives and scallions and serve with sour cream.

MEXICAN RICE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven and add the garlic and onions. Cook, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the rice. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn't burn. Cook over low heat, about 3 minutes.
• Next, add the whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne and turmeric. Stir to combine and let cook, about 2 minutes. Finally, add the chicken broth and stir the mixture together. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer until the rice is not quite done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Top with the cheese, and then bake with the lid off until the cheese is melted and the rice fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Serve with chopped cilantro.

NACHO CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vegetable oil and flour. Cook, whisking, until it begins to bubble; let it bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the enchilada sauce, chicken broth, cumin and some salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer while you prepare the meat.
• For the meat: Brown the ground beef with the garlic and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the fat and stir in the cumin and salt to combine. Stir the meat into the simmering sauce and shut off the heat.
• For the casserole: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 9-by-13-inch aluminum foil baking dish and one 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Break up the chips by crushing the bag slightly with your hands. Make sure not to over crush the chips; you're looking for pieces, not crumbs. Mix together the cheeses in a medium bowl.
• Divide a third of the broken chips between the prepared baking dishes. Top each with a quarter of the beef mixture and 2/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat, adding another layer of chips, beef mix and cheese to each. Finish by dividing the remaining chips between the baking dishes. Top each with 2/3 cup cheese.
• Cover the glass baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until bubbly, another 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the toppings: Top the cooked casserole with the shredded romaine, diced Roma tomatoes, sour cream and sliced black olives and green onions before serving.
• Allow the aluminum foil baking dish to cool completely while the other is baking. Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Transfer to the freezer.
• To bake from frozen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Unwrap the baking dish and re-cover with foil. Bake, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with another batch of the toppings.

CHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook the rice according to the package directions. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and add the tomatoes, garlic and onions. Stir and cook for a minute or 2. Add 2 teaspoons of the chili powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and 1 teaspoon of the cumin. Stir and cook the mixture for another minute or 2 in order to release the flavors. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the chicken along with the remaining 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin and some salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is deep golden brown and done in the middle, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and stir to make a sauce. Allow the sauce to boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pinto and kidney beans and set aside.
• To assemble, pour half of the jar of salsa verde (about a cup) in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish or disposable foil baking pan. Layer half of the tortillas on top of the salsa verde, overlapping the edges. Spoon the rice over the tortillas, spread the tomato mixture over the rice then sprinkle the corn over the tomatoes. Next, add the chicken and bean mixture, then sprinkle on half the cheese and pour over half the Enchilada Sauce. Next, add the remaining tortillas in a layer, pour on the rest of the salsa verde and Enchilada Sauce and sprinkle on the rest of the cheese.
• Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the casserole to sit for a few minutes before serving up to ensure it holds together. Serve with sour cream and cilantro for topping.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, bouillon cube and some salt and pepper and cook until the spices darken and their flavors are released, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, stir to combine and cook it for another minute. Add the stock and stir to combine, then allow the liquid to thicken. Add the tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is nice and thick and reduced by about a third, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then use an immersion blender to completely puree the sauce until smooth. (Alternatively, you can transfer it to a blender to puree it; just make sure the sauce is cooled, as blending hot liquids is dangerous!)
• The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week and can also be frozen! Just reheat the sauce in a saucepan or skillet for whatever recipe calls for it.