Taco Lasagna

Before I get to the taco lasagna, I first must show what might happen if you try to take pictures this meal at the dinner table and ask your husband to move his hand out of the shot. Said husband moves his hand right into a plant that has been moved aside on the table and a shower of messy dirt interrupts your dinner.

Once the dirt is cleaned up and you can go back to eating, you will surely enjoy this lasagna! I have made Mexican lasagna in the past but always used tortillas instead of noodles. This recipe, from Sandra Lee is more of a traditional lasagna with taco flavors. The ricotta is seasoned with Mexican spices, the meat is cooked with chiles and taco seasoning and the sauce is a blend of tomatoes and salsa. The only issue I had with this was the fact that it called for Mexican seasoning. What the heck is Mexican seasoning? I didn't know, so I just mixed my ricotta with some cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. We enjoyed this and I'll definitely make it again. But next time I'll move all non-meal related objects off the table first.

Taco Lasagna

1 lb lean ground beef

1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning

1 can diced green chiles

1 cup frozen chopped onion

1 container (16 ounce) ricotta cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish (I omitted)

1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning

1 can (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes

1 jar (16 ounce) chunky salsa

1 box lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions

3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (I used less)

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef. Drain fat. Add 3/4 cup water, taco seasoning, green chiles and onion. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, eggs, cilantro and Mexican seasoning. In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes and salsa. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a deep 9x13 baking dish, spread 1/4 of the sauce on bottom of dish. Add a layer of noodles. Top with 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/2 ground beef, 1 cup shredded cheese, 1/4 sauce and another layer of noodles. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients. End with a layer of just noodles, sauce and cheese.

Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro before serving.