Aztec Casserole Recipes

Steps:

• Ahead of time:.
• Prepare dried beans in a slow cooker.
• Cook on high until tender, (Approx. 3 hours).
• Prepare grains in rice cooker following directions for 2 cups of grain.
• (Approx 70 mins).
• When beans and grains are cooked:.
• In a very large skillet or sautee pan, heat half of the olive oil and brown the meat.
• Remove the meat to drain.
• Add the remaining oil and then cooking over medium heat, add chopped onions, peppers and garlic.
• Cook these until crisp-tender.
• Stir in corn and red chile paste (as desired).
• Add the cooked beans (including all the juice) and the cooked grains.
• Add the drained meat.
• Salt to taste and stir well.
• Simmer the mixture to slightly reduce the liquid and meld the flavors.

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet, add the onion and garlic and saute until transparent. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and cook for 10 more minutes. Correct the seasoning and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the corn and zucchini and cook 2 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook over low heat for 8 minutes or until the zucchini is crisp-tender.
• Heat some oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas for 30-40 seconds on each side, just to soften. Set aside. (You could use cooking spray or sprinkle with water to soften and lower fat).
• Place a thin layer of veggies on the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with a layer of 4-5 corn tortillas and then a layer of tomato sauce. Add half the remaining veggies, half the chiles, 1/2 cup cream, half the chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with the cheese. Bake uncovered until the cheese begins to melt. About 10-15 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Boil chicken breasts until no longer pink in the middle.
• Place cooked chicken breasts in food processor and give a few pulses to chop up. Don't get it too fine. If you don't have a food processor then shred the chicken by hand.
• In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients except tortilla strips and 1 cup of cheese. Also add in the chopped chicken. Mix well.
• Grease a 9x13 backing dish and place one layer of tortilla strips in bottom. Spoon 1/3 of mixture on strips and spread evenly. Continue alternating tortilla strips and chicken mixture with the top layer being the chicken mixture.
• Cover and bake for 60 minutes or until bubbly.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top. Put back in oven uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Cut and serve. Can top with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce or fresh guacamole.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large heavy saute pan, add enough oil to come 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil on medium-high heat. When hot, work in batches and quickly fry the tortillas for about 10 seconds on each side (they should still be pliable). Remove the tortillas from the heat and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.
• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and add the garlic and onion. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato puree. Cook for 10 minutes and turn the heat off.
• In a separate large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the zucchini and corn. Cook for 2 minutes, and then add the chopped poblano chiles. Add 1/2 cup water to the mixture and cook for 4 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Cover the bottom with about 4 tortillas. Add 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture on top of the tortillas. Top with 1 1/2 cups of the zucchini mixture. Add 1 cup of the cheese. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of Mexican crema. Sprinkle the first layer with some salt and pepper. Start on the second layer with the tortillas, then the tomato, zucchini, cheese and Mexican crema. Again sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Repeat for a third time, to finish off a third layer. Place the casserole into the oven until the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Steps:

• For sauce mixture: Place the tomatoes, onion, chilies, water and chicken consume in a blender and blend well. Pour mixture into a pot and boil. When sauce begins to boil, place a lid on the pot and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Add the corn, zucchini, squash flowers and cooked chicken or pork to the simmering mixture. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just cooked. Adjust for salt and mix in the epazote and cilantro. After mixed well, set aside to cool.
• For base of pudding, fry each tortilla very quickly in hot oil -- only a few seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• In a blender blend all ingredients for the cream mixture together until smooth. Set aside.
• Assemble in a 9 1/2 by 13-inch pan. Layer tortillas to cover the bottom and sides of pan, then layer cheeses, sauce, cream mixture, and continue layering in that order, ending with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Salt to taste with chicken consume.
• The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Mix barbecue sauce and pepper in small bowl; set aside. Brown meat with onions and garlic in large skillet on medium-high heat 8 to 10 min., stirring occasionally. Drain. Add corn and barbecue sauce mixture; mix well.
• Reserve 5 zucchini slices; set aside. Arrange half of the remaining zucchini in single layer on bottom and side of 2-qt. casserole dish. Layer with half of the meat mixture, 1 cup of the cheese, remaining zucchini and remaining meat mixture. Top with reserved 5 zucchini slices and remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
• Bake 20 min. Remove foil. Bake an additional 5 min. until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cup water to a boil in a pot; add the chili pepper, seeds included, to the boiling water and cook at a boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the chili pepper and seeds from the water; return the water to the pot. Add 4 cups water to the chili pepper-infused water, reduce heat to medium-low, and bring to a slow boil. Stir the cocoa powder and vanilla extract into the boiling water; cook and stir until the powder dissolves completely, 5 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Remember that you will need to cook the pork before preparing the rest of the casserole.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the corn oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onions until soft.
• Add the garlic, poblano, and tomatillos and let them cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the poblano is soft.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cream and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Purée the poblano sauce in a blender until smooth, strain, and return to the pan.
• Season with salt and reduce some more if necessary.
• Sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
• Heat a few tablespoons of corn oil over medium-high heat and cook the tortillas in it for no more than 10 seconds.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place 6 tortillas on the bottom of a shallow baking or casserole dish (about 9 by 11 inches or 10 by 10 inches in size; shape does not matter).
• Cover the tortillas with half of the shredded pork, ladle on half the sauce, and sprinkle with half of the cheese.
• Repeat with a second layer.
• Cover and cook for 35 minutes, then uncover and lightly brown on top.
• Cut into serving-size pieces and garnish with cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.