Jul 29 2010
Easy Enchilada Lasagna.
We all know how easily bored I can get.
So would you believe me if I told you that I am making this meal for a second time in 4 days?
At the risk of sounding dramatic, it is so incredible that you must rush home and make it this evening. It is easy and quick too!
I can’t make real lasagna.
Mr. How Sweet claims that he will go into convulsions if he eats ricotta cheese, though I have seen him taste his fair share of it.
But that is fine with me.
I don’t love pasta and tomato sauce makes me cry.
However, I do love greasy, cheesy Mexican food.
I mentioned earlier this week that I made some meals for Mr. How Sweet since I’m leaving tomorrow. I always make him meals on the weekends, but this time I tried to make him some more “fun” ones.
I have been making enchiladas for him for years. When we were dating, I occasionally would make him a dish of chicken enchiladas to surprise him after work. Sometimes I even made them for his lunch, and we didn’t even live together.
I guess he got some milk for free.
He requests the enchiladas so often that I rarely eat them anymore. I wasn’t even tempted by this lasagna, but I was feeling rather emotional and decided to eat my feelings.
One bite in, I was hooked.
It was so delicious. Dare I say it is one of the best meals I’ve made since we have been married? It certainly isn’t made entirely from scratch, and it seems rather boring on the outside. And it is simple. But good gosh – is it fabulous.
I should have never taken that first bite.
Let’s just say that Mr. How Sweet didn’t get much of the lasagna. Between me eating it for lunch and dinner, I think he only got one skinny slice.
He has been talking about it ever since. And I have been feeling guilty for eating the entire dish.
So tonight I am making him a fresh, much larger portion.
And then I’m going to handcuff myself so I don’t eat it.
Enchilada Lasagna
8 corn tortillas
3 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 10 oz)
1 teaspoon cumin
pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 cup black beans
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 10-oz can enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese ( I used reduced-fat)
Preheat oven to 375.
For filling: Heat skillet on medium heat and add olive oil, onions and peppers. Saute until soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add chicken, cumin and cayenne, 1/2 the can of enchilada sauce, the black beans and 1 cup of cheese. Stir until warm and combined.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and layer 2 tortillas down. Top with filling, and repeat until tortillas are gone. Top with remaining cup of cheese and drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce on top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Note: I used La Tortilla Factory tortillas since they are my favorite. I love that they have different sizes – it makes it easier to bake the dish for two people, or a large group.
I apologize for the last picture being on the… messy side.
See, I just couldn’t help myself. I was snapping pictures and simultaneously taking bites.
I have no self control.
Don’t forget to subscribe to How Sweet It Is so you can get updates while I’m on vacation. I will be blogging about my trip (because I am going to my favorite place!) in my Fit Bites section. You can also subscribe by email.
Have an excellent trip! Where are you off to?
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 4:25 am
Thank you! Michigan.
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Ow! I used to make a Rachael Ray dish that is somewhat similar for Mexican lasagna. I haven’t made it in ages but everyone always loved it! Great work. I’m sure the man will cruise right through the man of this goodness
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So he won’t eat ricotta, what about lasagna made with cottage cheese? Is that a no-go too? This looks fantastic. I’ll have to try it.
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 4:25 am
Nope! But that is okay, I don’t like cottage cheese either.
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“Yum” isn’t nearly a good enough would for how that looks!
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Bookmarked, saved, and planned to be on the menu next week. Love me some Mexican!
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I was just in MI this weekend!!! Have a good trip and loving this dish you made.
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Mmm, that looks great! I’ve only had enchiladas once but loved every bite of ‘em. And I love lasagna… Perfect combo!
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Let's Talk Food!, HowSweetBlog. HowSweetBlog said: Easy Enchilada Lasagna: http://bit.ly/bhhhvl [...]
I can’t make a successful lasagna either, I think I can make this easy looking recipe though. It really does look good and sounds very simple. Love Mexican food and enchiladas are one of our favorites, thanks for a new recipe to try.
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Please save me a piece! I’ll be right over.
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I am making Tequila Lime Chicken (from the Pioneer Woman) tonight and now have something to make with the leftovers! Thank you! Looks great!
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This is beautiful!! I love it!
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Oooh, that picture with all of the layers looks SO cheesey!!! Yum!
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Oh my, that does look good. I have been searching for some new chicken recipes. Thanks!
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Holy crud, that looks so good!!!
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That looks amazing and if I use the right tortillas it is easily gluten free! Awesome!! My husband would LOVE this too!
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This is perfect, amazing, fabulous! Mexican food is my fave, and the tortillas are gluten free. So excited to try this!
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I just printed this recipe and plan on making it immmmmmediately!
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I just forwarded this to the boyfriend. He’s making this for me stat!
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Yummy! I make a mexican lasagna kind of like that. Haven’t made it for awhile…nor do I know where the recipe is at. Soo, I’ll probably just use yours!
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Ok, this is so weird, but the last 2 posts I read this morning were about lasagna and then then the last was about enchiladas… this is the best of both worlds!! This looks awesome!!
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Ay dios mio. MUY bueno. Seriously, brilliant idea and this looks muy ficil.
I will add this to a fall tailgate party line up!
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How fitting! Today is National Lasagna Day!!
This looks too good to be true. Making THIS weekend for sure! Have a blast on your vacation
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 6:34 am
Really? I had no idea! Thanks for letting me know.
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Oh yum! I love anything with mexican flavors and this looks delicious! I haven’t made enchiladas in forever!
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Mmmm, I would totally leave the meat out of this and then devour the rest
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That’s looks really good. That just might have to make it into my weekend menu!!!
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Oh, my. This looks absolutely amazing. I need to make this. Like now. Wow!
Have a great trip!
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Very similar to a taco pie that I make, but with ground beef. I would be interested to try it with chicken though!!
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Totally making this for dinner tonight. Holy moly it looks fantastic.
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I just saw your comment on Angela’s “negative thoughts” post. I was wondering what kind of self esteem classes you had in elementary school. I teach kindergarten and I’m always looking for ways to build self esteem in my kids and the other kids at my school- wondering if you guys used a program or something?
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Hi Kelly! In elementary school we had something called PSE (Project Self Esteem). I honestly don’t know much about it but from what I can remember there was a ‘mascot’ and we had it one day a week. I believe it was a national program, but I am not sure because I was in private school. I don’t think it was simply done by the school though. I can ask my mom and aunt who were volunteers at one point and see if they remember anything about it!
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Wow does that look good. I’d probably eat the whole pan!
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I could totally do this veg! I love Mexican casserole dishes!
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Wow those look great! I think I would eat the whole pan in one sitting
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all i can think is layers of flavah…you know, like the gum? but better
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Jessica, this is a meal we have often in our house – so easy and yummy!
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I’m supposed to bring a dish to my boyfriend’s parent’s house this weekend and I’m pretty sure this will be a huge win!
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I love Mexi mash-ups like this one.
Now I know what I want to do with the bag of tortillas in my freezer!
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I think your man and mine are kindred spirits. He goes into convulsions over random things, too.
I might have to borrow this recipe, though. It looks amazing.
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I can see why you were taking bites of this while photographing it. Looks so gooey and yummy. Great idea to combine Quesadilla with Lasagna! xo
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this looks AWESOME !! I need to make this!
Have a FABULOUS trip!!
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Ohh – this looks sooo good! Cheeeesy goodness.
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I love your blog! I always see you comment on others and decided to check it out – great layout…and oh my God – lasagna! I would love to be able to make it so good…but usually resort to Amy’s hah! I’ve never tried enchiladas, but will be now
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Thank you!
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oh, and I’ll be adding you to my reader and blog!
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yummmm looks delicious! i have our go to enchilada recipe but these look great… i need to try them!
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Look at all that cheesy goodness. Making me so hungry. Which is not good as I get ready for my lunchtime workout.
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Do I still need to subscribe if I follow you? I don’t want to miss any of your posts!
That enchilada lasagna looks so insanely good – my hubby would LOVE that!
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Yum! I love cheesy Mexican food so much. It’s why I hope to someday marry a Mexican. For real, I’ve dated more Mexicans than white guys. It’s a fetish. Oops, that got a little off topic. Bottom line: looks good!
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Oh wow. This looks amazing. I love mexican cheesy food like this, and I love making casseroles like this.
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I bet you could make lasagna with a lot of different cuisines and stylere! All you need is a flatbread-type item and a filling-type item and layer it. Yummyyyy! Even better if you just top it off with cheese.
Wei Wei
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This looks fantastic! What size corn tortillas would you suggest for two people? And have you ever used flour tortillas with this or just corn?
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 9:17 am
I used smaller ones – I think they are 4 inch? They are the homemade corn tortillas by La Tortilla Factory. Bigger ones would work too, I just wanted to fit it into a small dish I had.
And yes, I am sure flour tortillas would be great, I just have an obsession with corn ones.
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kelly Reply:
July 30th, 2010 at 10:29 am
8 inch ones fit perfectly in a square dish…you only need one per layer. i’ve used whole wheat tortillas too, which are great!
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Oh Jessica!
This looks AMAZING!
ANd how very sweet of you to make Mr. How Sweet an entire batch of his own!
My GREG would love KISS me all over if I whipped this lasagna up for him!
And it looks HEALTHY too!
Love it Jessica!
Jotting the recipe!
xo
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Yum yum! Maybe this recipe will convince Mr Rants n Raves to make something other than Mac n Cheese when he cooks!
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this is not even “my kind of food” and i totally want this!! probably b/c TJs was sampling bean salsas and stuff and skylar was chowing down on black, red, kidney beans, cilantro, lime juice…ya know, typical stuff for a high raw vegan 3 year old
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This looks A-MAZ-ING! I am a sucker for Mexican food! The ingredients are definitely going on this weekend’s grocery list!
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I want to eat that lasagna right now. I’m not even hungry. In fact, I finished lunch not all that long ago. Still- I would eat over a serving if someone put a plate in front of me right now!
What kind of enchilada sauce do you use?
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Jessica Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Old El Paso.
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mmmm mexican lasagna is SO good. love your version!
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Trust me, the handcuffs won’t work. You’ll just go face first into the pan…LOL (Do I know this from experience? Hmmmm)
Great looking enchiladas!
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What a wonderful idea! I must make this asap!
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I am so making this!
http://www.poolovesboo.blogspot.com
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Well now you’re just showing off! Hehe. I swear, I’m never letting the FnF bf read your blog bc it makes me look so inadequate. Actually, he has already found it! And mentioned how good those lasagna bites looked. I think that was a hint
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HOLY DELICIOUSNESS! this is the best Idea I have seen in a LONG TIME! and if you say its good, then it has got to be amazing! have a safe trip Jess!!!
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I love enchiladas, but never made them in a lasagna form before. What a great idea!
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YUM! Super easy…I think my kids would even like that
I’m glad I’m not the only person who takes pics while I’m eating…more often then not there’s a bite out of whatever it is I’m taking a pic of, LOL 
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That’s too funny. I made something similar to that tonight.
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I have made an enchilada lasagna like this before and I so agree..it was insanely addicting and delicious. I ate most of it myself! I’ll have to try it again! YUM!
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wow, this looks absolutely amazing!!!! I think my mom used to make something similar to this when I was growing up….def a fav meal in my house
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Mmm mmmm mmmmm!!!!!
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YUM! This sounds delicious. I am definitely making this recipe soon. Thanks!
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This looks soooo good! have a wonderful trip:)
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
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There’s nothing wrong with a messy food shot…looks delish!
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This looks delicious! Gonna have to try it for sure.
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YUMMY! Looks soo good… all the cheese and… mmmmm mmmm mmmm
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Yum! Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Thanks for the inspiration!
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Jessica Reply:
August 1st, 2010 at 7:35 pm
So glad you liked it!
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[...] 2010 in Recipes | Tags: cheese, chicken, enchilada, lasagna I found another fabulous recipe from How Sweet. I don’t know how she does it but I’m glad she does. Everything she makes sounds so [...]
I love this idea! I haven’t done this in a looong time, and now I am super craving it!
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Yum! I am a big fan of Mexican and an even bigger fan of enchilada lasagna… Looks great!
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[...] the way it is supposed to look and the full recipe, click here. Flowers I [...]
[...] event, it was no wonder he was upset. Tonight’s dinner had him salivating. I saw Jessicas’ recipe here and thought it would be a change from the norm. And a nice change it [...]
Hey Jessica,
I made this tonight for my family and they loved it! Thanks for putting this great recipe up and btw…Mr. How Sweet is a lucky man. Good food and a beautiful woman.
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Jessica Reply:
August 8th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Thanks so much Brent! Glad you guys liked it.
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Brent Reply:
August 8th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
You’re very welcome. I have your site bookmarked and plan on trying some of your other recipes. I am currently trying to lose weight and it’s nice to have a site that has good recipes and it’s healthy for you.
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