The Kitchen Journal: Turkey Enchilada Casserole

I had a couple of requests for how I made my turkey enchilada caserole last weekend. It was really, really good with the leftover turkey, and I bet it'd be equally as good with cooked ground meat or any other shredded cooked meat.

The casserole completely fills a 9x13-inch baking pan, so if you have fewer people to feed or just can't stand to eat the same meal two days in a row (and then for lunch), you might want to cut the ingredients in half and layer them in an 8x8-inch pan.

I didn't take any photos, sorry! Not only am I not the best food photographer but I didn't realize I'd be sharing the (non)recipe. I do have a photo of the enchilada sauce I made, with a credit back to the site where I found the recipe. I didn't have any premade sauce in the house so I had to go searching. I really liked the way this one turned out.

Red Enchilada Sauce from Gimme Some Oven

Notes: I made 1.5 times the following recipe to yield about 3 cups of sauce. The text in color indicates ingredients I used and/or the amounts I used compared to the original recipe. Also note that the sauce thickens but doesn't get thick (if you know what I mean).

Credit: Gimme Some Oven

• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons medium chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups chicken stock

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick. Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Notes: Measures are approximate. I used whole wheat flour tortillas because that's what I had in the house. I think corn tortillas would have been awesome, but if you use 6-inch tortillas you'll need a few extra. I kind of made this up as I went, but am pleased with the results.

• 5 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups of enchilada sauce
• 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and drained
• 1 small bag frozen corn, thawed (normal size, I don't have a measure)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
• 1 (4-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 heaping cups of shredded turkey (white and dark meat)
• 3 generous cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 1 chopped avocado, lime wedges, sour cream (for serving)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil or spray a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Heat a cast-iron or nonstick pan over medium high heat and cook the tortillas, one at a time, until they get a little color, about 2 minutes a side. Cut each one into quarters.

Pour about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Arrange about one-third of the tortilla pieces over the sauce and then top with one-third each of beans, corn, onion, bell pepper, green chilies, olives, and cilantro, evenly distributing the ingredients. Top with 1 cup of the turkey and then 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat two more times, ending with the cheese. (If you have extra cheese, put it all on top!)

Spray or oil a piece of foil and cover the pan. Bake 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove the foil and let bake another 10-15 minutes until the cheese takes on color and the casserole is heated through.

Pass avocado, lime wedges, and sour cream at the table.

_______

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

_______