panKates: Mexican Lasagna

Finally! A new post! I know you've all been dying of anticipation for this day.

We made it through the bar exam and are now preparing for another round of weddings and all the festivities that go along with them. The biggest of them all will be my little brother's in May. So excited.

Anyway, it's nice to be cooking again, and I hope to get back into trying out new recipes more often as well.

This Mexican Lasagna recipe is slightly modeled after a seven layer dip (and who doesn't love seven layer dip?!), and I wanted to call it "Seven Layer Lasagna." But Russ said people would think it was an Italian version of seven layer dip, not a Mexican version of lasagna. Or something like that. So there you have it.

Mexican Lasagna (makes 6 big servings)
1.25 pound package of extra lean ground turkey
1 packet of low sodium taco seasoning mix
4 low calorie tortillas (my grocery store sells some decent sized ones that have 80 calories each)
1 cup of fat free shredded mozzarella (about half a bag of the Kraft fat free stuff)
1 cup of fat free shredded cheddar
1 16 oz. jar of all natural chunky salsa (you don't want this to be too runny)
1 can of low sodium black beans
1/4 cup of sliced jalapeno peppers*
1 avocado
1 cup of fat free sour cream
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tsp. of ground cumin
juice of 1/2 lime
a few dashes of salt, pepper, and hot sauce
Cilantro, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

Brown ground turkey on stovetop with taco seasoning mix (follow seasoning mix directions).

Meanwhile, in food processor, combine avocado, sour cream, chopped tomato, cumin, lime juice, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Process until just smooth, but not too thin.

In a separate pan on the stovetop, heat up each of the tortillas for a couple minutes per side until crispy.

Heat beans in a bowl in the microwave for a couple minutes

Once ground turkey is ready (again, follow the directions on the taco seasoning mix), begin assembling the lasagna in a 9x13 pan, in the following layers:

- Salsa (entire jar)
- Half of the ground turkey
- 2 tortillas (side by side to cover the meat)
- Beans (entire can)
- Half of the cheese (use half mozzarella and half cheddar)
- Avocado/sour cream mixture from food processor (entire mixture)
- Jalapeno slices (all of them)

Then repeat the following layers:
- 2 other tortillas (again, side by side)
- Remaining half of meat
- Remaining half of cheese (half mozzarella, half cheddar)

Bake for 10 minutes, but keep an eye on the cheese to make sure it doesn't burn. Garnish with chopped cilantro.