While I love all the ingredients, look at the ratio of salsa to ratio of meat and rest of ingredients. Does it seem like a lot of salsa to you?
John Wayne Casserole
3 large corn tortillas
2 cans seasoned beans (drained), or refried beans
1 red onion, chopped fine
1 - 24 ounce jar of your favorite salsa (I used Pace Picante because that's what was on hand)
1 - 16 ounce jar of chipotle salsa (my addition, ditto Pace)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated jack cheese
1 - 12 ounce bag fresh spinach
meat from 1 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
Preparation:
In a cast iron Dutch oven, spread a layer of salsa over the bottom of the pot. Lay down one large corn tortilla, centering it in the pot. Pour all the beans from one can over the tortilla. Sprinkle 1/2 of the red onion over the beans, then 1/2 of the shredded chicken, then a cup of the cheddar cheese, then 1/2 of the spinach and some more salsa. Place another tortilla over all of this and press down to compress. Repeat this layering one more time, ending with a third tortilla on top of it all. The spinach will make it seem rather impossible to contain the whole thing in the pot, but, as you can see from the top photo, it will cook down.
To finish the layering, spread the chipotle salsa over the final tortilla, and top with the jack cheese.
If you don't happen to have a campfire handy, with the lid on top (you could use foil if you don't have a lid), place the pot in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly. If you do have a campfire (we're so lucky up here), place your lidded pot either directly in the hot coals or on a grill over hot coals and, turning it occasionally so it won't burn, cook as above.
You could, of course, take creative license and do all sorts of things to gussy up this dish. But do keep in mind its rustic, cowboy-like beginnings and don't stray too far from the herd.
John Wayne Casserole
3 large corn tortillas
2 cans seasoned beans (drained), or refried beans
1 red onion, chopped fine
1 - 24 ounce jar of your favorite salsa (I used Pace Picante because that's what was on hand)
1 - 16 ounce jar of chipotle salsa (my addition, ditto Pace)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated jack cheese
1 - 12 ounce bag fresh spinach
meat from 1 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
Preparation:
In a cast iron Dutch oven, spread a layer of salsa over the bottom of the pot. Lay down one large corn tortilla, centering it in the pot. Pour all the beans from one can over the tortilla. Sprinkle 1/2 of the red onion over the beans, then 1/2 of the shredded chicken, then a cup of the cheddar cheese, then 1/2 of the spinach and some more salsa. Place another tortilla over all of this and press down to compress. Repeat this layering one more time, ending with a third tortilla on top of it all. The spinach will make it seem rather impossible to contain the whole thing in the pot, but, as you can see from the top photo, it will cook down.
To finish the layering, spread the chipotle salsa over the final tortilla, and top with the jack cheese.
If you don't happen to have a campfire handy, with the lid on top (you could use foil if you don't have a lid), place the pot in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly. If you do have a campfire (we're so lucky up here), place your lidded pot either directly in the hot coals or on a grill over hot coals and, turning it occasionally so it won't burn, cook as above.
You could, of course, take creative license and do all sorts of things to gussy up this dish. But do keep in mind its rustic, cowboy-like beginnings and don't stray too far from the herd.