Monday & Tuesday Dinners

Mexican Lasagna

While poking around the kitchen on Monday, trying to decide what to cook for dinner, I realized I had all the ingredients for Mexican Lasagna. This is one of my oldest recipes. It started out as something I tore out of a magazine, but then I lost the clipping and had to re-create it from memory. I've been making it "my" way for 10 years or more, to the point where I can do it with my eyes closed. It's also my go-to dish when I need to send a meal over to a neighbor or friend (death, illness, new baby, etc.) or bring to a potluck. I'm always, always, always asked for the recipe.


GSO Foodie's Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. ground turkey
1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 t. chili powder
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 16 oz. jar mild salsa (or 2 cups)
9 uncooked lasagna noodles (about 1/2 box)
1 8 oz. package shredded Cheddar or Mexican Blend cheese

Brown turkey, drain fat if necessary (I never need to). Add corn, chili powder, tomato sauce and salsa, and cook, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbly.

Pour about 1/2 cup into bottom of 9 x 13 baking pan, just enough to coat the bottom. Place 3 lasagna noodles on top, making sure they don't touch each other or the sides of the pan. You will think there's way too much room around them, but that's OK. Spoon over 1/3 of remaining sauce (make sure noodles are completely covered with sauce) then sprinkle on 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with cheese on top. Cover baking dish tightly with a large piece of foil that you've sprayed on the underside with nonstick cooking spray (so the cheese won't stick). Bake at 350 for 1 hour, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more. (Run it under the broiler for a minute or two if you like a crispy top.) Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Pass sour cream at the table.

This dish isn't as rich or heavy as traditional lasagna, so you'll probably get 6 - 8 generous servings from a pan. It's even better reheated the next day.

Monday totals:

$1.19 - ground turkey (from Aldi)
.33 - can corn (HT 3/$1 sale)
.75 - 1/2 box lasagna noodles
.40 - tomato sauce (8 oz. cans 5/$1 at HT)
$1.26 - 2/3 of 24 oz. jar of salsa from Aldi
$1.10 - bag Sargento shredded cheese (BOGO + $1 coupon from HT)

$5.03 for a full pan of lasagna (Served 4 at dinner because sister joined us, with lots of leftovers for lunch)

NOTE: You don't have to spend more on "no boil" lasagna noodles because you don't have to boil ANY of them if you follow the steps I laid out. They'll cook perfectly in the liquid from the sauce and the steam it creates.

NOTE #2: Ground turkey sold in frozen chubs (plastic tubes) is usually much cheaper than fresh in the meat case. Aldi and Walmart both sell it this way, for under $1.50/lb.

NOTE #3: Never use aluminum foil to store tomato dishes. The acid in the tomato sauce can eat right through the foil after a few days.

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Tuesday I just heated up a bag of Trader Joe's BBQ Teriyaki Chicken, steamed some white rice, and made a steam-in-the-microwave bag of edamame.

Tuesday Totals:

$4.99 - Teriyaki chicken
.20 - white rice
.60 - edamame (BOGO + doubled coupon)

$5.79 for dinner for 3