Mexican Casserole

Considering my husband Brandon grew up in Yuma, Arizona and I spent nine years in Phoenix, the longest I've lived in any state, it's no surprise our family meals often have a southwestern flair. It certainly helps that we love a good avocado. When I was first getting to know Brandon, he mentioned at one point just how much he loved avocados and from that moment on, I knew he must be a great guy, because only truly great guys love avocados. Turns out I was right. So I am always trying to come up with ways to enjoy this fantastic green vegetable, especially since it provides valuable nutrition as well. Avocados help lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease, cancer and cataracts, so what's not to like?

This recipe is fantastic with sliced avocado or guacamole on top. It is relatively low in fat and bursting with flavor and you can have it on the table in under 30 minutes. Sometimes I cheat with this recipe and use frozen chopped chicken breast to help speed up the cooking process. I cook the chicken, onions and green peppers in a dash of olive oil until the chicken is hot and the vegetables are soft. Then I add the salsa, taco seasoning, cream cheese, black beans and corn. Once everything is blended together, I put half of the mixture in the bottom of a pan and top with a sliced whole wheat tortilla and a sprinkling of cheese. Then I spread on the second half of the mixture, top with more tortilla strips and pop it in the oven at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. I take it out, sprinkle a little more cheese on top and put it back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Then comes the fun part - top it with sour cream and a generous helping of guacamole or sliced avocados and devour!

Ingredients:

1 Chicken Breast, Cooked and Diced

1 Small or 1/2 Large Yellow Onion - Diced

1/2 Green Pepper - Diced

1 1/2 Cup Salsa (I use Herdez Hot)

1 Package Taco Seasoning (I use McCormick)

2oz Reduced Fat Cream Cheese

1 Can Black Beans

1/2 Can Corn

Mozzarella Cheese

2 Whole Wheat Tortillas