Turkey Enchilada Casserole and Johnny Cash

There's a thunderstorm occurring outside of my living room window tonight, and I find it most soothing. Something about the roll of thunder and rain drops against the window pane that make me want to curl up in bed with a cup of hot tea and a good book. Or in this case, writing a new post for My Eats and Beats!

After work today, I went to a zumba class recommended by a co-worker of mine. And it was AWESOME! I love Latin music and dance. And I usually don't work up a sweat during workouts, but I was reaching for my water bottle and towel after every song. Edgar is our zumba leader. He is this ball of little Latino energy. Seriously, he can't be more than 5'4'', but he keeps you energized and moving the entire 60 minutes. I'll definitely take this class again. Edgar alternates locations of his zumba class a few days out of the week, depending on gym availability. At $5 a class, I suggest you get your hips moving and come join me! I'll be there again on Wednesday.

We had a late dinner this evening as I did not get home until 8 p.m., after stopping by the grocery store on the way home. In the Latin spirit, I decided to go with turkey enchilada casserole. This particular recipe is low in calories and relatively low in cholesterol...which is a double bonus for me. The casserole also has great authentic Mexican flavor. And there is plenty of leftovers to last you a few days.

The Man in Black, Mr. Johnny Cash, and "Ring of Fire" is the beat of the day. It's a fun song pair with this dish.



Have a good week!
Julia

Turkey Enchilada Casserole:
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cans (10 oz.) red enchilada sauce: 1 hot and 2 mild
Salt
12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz.)

Preparation
In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.

Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit. Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.

Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.