I love Mexican food! I believe I could eat it every day, all day. In fact, the first time I visited Houston, I think I tried that. I like beef and chicken in my recipes, but I found two great vegetarian Southwestern recipes you might enjoy!
Baked Rice with Cheese and Green Chilies
For this recipe, you will need olive oil, 1 medium onion, four cups of cooked brown rice, 8 ounces of grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, two 4-ounce cans of chopped mild green chilies, fresh cilantro, and ground cumin.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Chop your onion. In a skillet over low heat, pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your onion and saute it until lightly browned then remove. Place onion in a medium bowl, with four cups of cooked brown rice, 8 ounces of cheddar cheese, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, the two cans of green chilies, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro. Add salt and pepper as desired and stir. Pour mixture into a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then serve!
Tortilla Casserole
The whole family will love this great quick casserole! For this recipe, you will need one 16 ounce can of pinto, pink or black beans (drained), 16 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, one four ounce can of green chilies, a bag of frozen corn, 2 scallions (minced), ground cumin, dried oregano, 8 corn tortillas, Monterey Jack, cheddar or jalapeno shredded cheese, and salsa.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the can of beans, can of tomatoes, one can of green chilies, two cups of thawed corn, the minced scallions, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano. Mix well then in a lightly oiled baking dish, layer four tortillas, then spread half of the bean mixture. Of your 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, sprinkle half over the bean mixture. Then layer four more tortillas, the rest of the bean mixture, and the rest of the cheese. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Serve in squares topped with salsa.