BUBBA'S ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Recipe courtesy of Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner

Ingredients:

1 large white onion

½ stick butter

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

Seasonings, to taste (ground chipotle, chili powder, cayenne)

6 jalapeno peppers

15 ounces enchilada sauce

8 ounces spicy salsa 1 can cream of chicken

1 can cream of mushroom

2 packages shredded "Mexican" cheese (for the non-cheese fans, 1 package)

1 package yellow corn tortillas

Small can of sliced black olives

Method:

Sauté onion in ½ stick butter in skillet.

Place in large pot on very low heat.

Start browning 1 pound of meat with half the jalapenos in skillet.

Add spices to taste (I use ground chipotle, chili powder and cayenne.)

Add the soups, enchilada sauce and salsa to the pot. Stir until it is a uniform color.

When the first pound of meat is cooked, put it in the pot and stir well.

Brown the other pound of meat in the skillet with the rest of the peppers.

Stir the mixture in the pot well, make sure it does not boil.

Add the rest of the meat to the pot when browned.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 9” x 13” casserole dish with cooking spray.

Tear tortillas into quarters and layer the bottom of casserole dish, overlapping.

Pour about half the meat mixture into the dish, evening it out.

Add another layer of quartered tortillas.

Spread layer of remaining meat mixture over all.

Add cheese, spreading over top.

Sprinkle with black olives.

It should reach just short of the top of the casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes, until hot all way through.

Let set a couple of mintues.

Serve

Bubba’s notes: I like to make and bake it the day before and refrigerate it overnight. Then before serving the next day, put it back in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 before serving it- it solidifies a little bit better. Also, fold tortilla in half, then in half again to form creases to make it easier to tear the tortilla into quarter pieces.