****RECIPE**** Tostada Style Lasagna

Tostada Style Lasagna

2 pounds ground beef (I use extra lean)
½ cup chopped onion
1-28 ounce can tomatoes (cut up)
1-8 ounce can (1 cup) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano. Crushed
1 teaspoon dried crushed dried red pepper
1-15 ½ ounce can red kidney beans (drained)
8-Lasagna noodles, cooked and drained or the no cook ones
4- Cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (16 ounces)

Toppings:

Shredded lettuce
Broken tortilla chips
Cherry tomatoes; halved

Cook meat and onion until browned and tender. Drain Stir in UNDRAINED TOMATOES and tomato sauce, 1 ½ Teaspoon SALT (I use garlic salt), oregano,Chili powder & red pepper.

Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in beans.

In each of the 10x6x2 baking dishes arrange ¼ cooked noodles (or no cooked) crosswise and spread with ¼ cooked noodles & meat mixture.

Sprinkle HALF of the cheese on top of each. Top with remaining noodles and meat mixture~cover and freeze the other.

Fresh casserole~~cover and bake at 350 for 15 minutes, uncover and bake 10 minutes more or until hot.

FROZEN casserole covered at 400 for 1 ½ hours. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Sprinkle some cheese on hot casserole to melt for looks, you can add slice black olives if you want.

Serve: Pass the lettuce~chips and tomatoes and picante sauce! (sour cream if you like it)

2 casseroles 4 to 6 servings

This was my first casserole dish to make when we got married 38 years ago, always my favorite to take to a home when someone passed away. I never have served this that they haven't asked for the recipe! I hope you like it :)



~~LindaChicken

Linda, was copying this and noticed in the directions you said to add chili powder, but in the ingredients list, it wasn't mentioned. Am dying to try this. Could you help me out? Thanks!!!!

Opps 1 teaspoon chili powder,sorry.

Bump for GrandChef :)

That looks really good, thanks.
(I mainly wanted to write in and ask why you're having such a rough day! te he he)

Wellll It's like this. I love to learn new things. I think I have it down pat and post it here and mess up the home page. What can I say??

You did notice how MANY "friends" I had to support me in my time of need? I thought so...**shakes head up and down* **hee hee**

~~LindaChicken

This sounds simply deee-vine! We just love food with a mexican flare. I copied it and will try when we need to "splurge" a little. I will try it with the ff cheese, etc. and give it a try.

Thank you, as always :0)
Cherie in GA

Cherie

I use to use all the regular ingredients in this...now I'm the fat free queen. It turns out fine. Just use the sharp fat free cheese and add a dash of Cajun seasoning to make up for the loss of fat!

~~LindaChicken

Thank you, LindaChicken...though I thought I was the fat-free queen!! I'd be more than happy to share the title with you! LOL!!

I sub ff for everything in a recipe that I can. I've lost 88 pounds in 3 years, without trying. The last 40 was from joining WW in mid Feb.

Best of healthy eating to you!
Cherie in GA

Cherie! You get the crown!! Wow, 88 pounds? That is wonderful, I'm really proud for you. I have NO will power (grin) ZERO Take care.


~~LindaChicken