Gluten-Free Mexican Casserole #Recipe by @LibbyKlein

Libby Klein Years ago, I had a moment of what I considered genius and created a Mexican Casserole to mash up the ideas of a Seven Layer Dip and Lasagna. I probably sound ridiculous now, because most people have heard about Mexican Casserole, and have probably seen it in the frozen foods section of their grocery store. But trust me when I say that thirty years ago I had never seen it before. My family was revolutionized! This quickly became one of our favorite meals and an easy go-to for entertaining. Keep the lasagna idea in mind when we go through the directions. While this recipe is genuinely gluten-free, it was always gluten-free. I haven't changed anything to convert it.

Disclaimer - Read all your labels to make sure your ingredients are gluten-free. Some corn tortillas have flour in them.

Mexican Casserole

Serves: 12 usually

 

INGREDIENTS

1 large jar mild salsa

1 large package gluten-free corn tortillas, at least 18

1 can refried beans

1 lb hamburger

1 package taco seasoning – I prefer Frontera over a powdered blend

4 ½ cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, divided

3 cups cooked rice

1 teaspoon salt for the rice

¼ cup lime juice for the rice

1 Bunch of cilantro, chopped for the rice

2 cans creamed corn

 

Sour cream

Scallions, chopped

Chopped jalapenos or chiles - optional

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).  Brown and drain your ground beef. Add taco seasoning. Set aside.

Make your rice according to package directions to get a total of 3 cups cooked. That should be 1 cup dry rice because rice triples in volume. Add salt, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Set Aside

Build your layers:

Cover the bottom of your casserole dish with about 1/3 of the salsa.

Top with 6 corn tortillas. (The photo shows more but I was making a huge pan for an event.)

Spread the tops of the tortillas with refried beans.

Now add your taco meat.

Add 1 ½ cups shredded cheese.

Top with 6 more tortillas.

Cover the tops of the tortillas with 1/3 of the salsa.

Top with your rice.

Then the creamed corn.

My layers are clearly out of order. I had a lot going on today. Pretend the corn is going on top of the rice. If you mess up the order no one will know anyway. I'm not going to judge you.

Top with the last 6 tortillas.

Cover the tops of the tortillas with the remaining 1/3 of the salsa.

Top with the last 1 ½ cups shredded cheese.

Try not to notice this is a different pan. I doubled the recipe and forgot to double the casserole size. Mistakes were made, the original casserole was dumped into my roasting pan, I don't want to talk about it.

Cover the casserole with a buttered piece of aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

 

Serve with Sour Cream (which you'll have to imagine in the photo) and chopped scallions, jalapenos, or chiles. Or all three if you’re adventurous and have stock in Tums.

 

Note: I'm at Left Coast Crime today, but I'll respond to comments as soon as I can. If you're at the convention with me, come say hello and let me know you read the blog! 

 

B&B owner and gluten-free baker Poppy McAllister, along with her saucy Aunt Ginny, is on the case at the annual Cold Spring Village antique show in Libby Klein’s seventh deliciously witty, paleo-themed Poppy McAllister Mystery.
 

When vintage items go up for auction, gluten-free baker and B&B owner Poppy McAllister discovers some people will pay the ultimate price...
 
It’s peak summer season at the Butterfly House Bed and Breakfast in Cape May, with tourists fluttering in and out and wreaking enough havoc to rival a Jersey Shore hurricane. Also back in town is Courtney Whipple and his family of antique dealers for the annual Cold Spring Village antique show. Courtney’s son Auggie has a unique piece he believes will fetch them a fortune if he can get it authenticated in time—a piece rival dealer Grover Prickle insists was stolen from his store.
 
Poppy and her Aunt Ginny attend the auction, hoping to bid on an armoire for the B&B, and discover a veritable armory for sale—everything from ancient blades and nineteenth century guns to such potential killing devices as knitting needles and a blacksmith hammer. Strangely, they don’t see either Auggie or Grover—or the mysterious item they both claim to own. Then during the auction, a body falls out of the very armoire Poppy was hoping to acquire, stabbed through the heart. Now, surrounded by competitive dealers and makeshift weapons, she must find out who turned the auction house into a slaughterhouse…
 

Libby Klein grew up in Cape May, NJ where she attended high school in the '80s. Her

classes revolved mostly around the Culinary sciences and Drama, with one brilliant semester in Poly-Sci that may have been an accident. She loves to drink coffee, bake gluten-free goodies, collect fluffy cats, and translate sarcasm for people who are too serious. She writes from her Northern Virginia office where she serves a very naughty black smoke Persian named Sir Figaro Newton. You can keep up with her shenanigans by signing up for her Mischief and Mayhem Newsletter on her website. www.LibbyKleinBooks.com/Newsletter/