Turning Leftover Tacos into Taco Lasagna

Ever had so much leftovers in your fridge from the delicious tacos you made the night before, or a few nights before, that you didn't know what to do with? Or maybe no one in your family really digs leftovers. In my opinion eating the same thing from the night before is boring, you want something different and exciting. So instead of letting my taco leftovers go to waste I decided to create something new and exciting that would intrigue my eaters. More so my husband, my little ones, and the rest of the family.

The leftovers I had were; Taco meat, refried beans, and Spanish rice.
So while I was sitting at home wondering what to make for dinner, knowing I didn't have time to go to the store with both kids. Considering by the time we get back it would be way past dinner time and I would end up buying more then what I ended up at the store for.

So I looked around in the kitchen; through the fridge, the drawers, and the cupboards, trying to find something to make so I didn't have to join the circus at the grocery store with my children. There sitting in the fridge was leftovers that no one was going to touch, and that the trash man was going to have a fun time smelling, when it comes to trash day. They must wonder what goes on in our house, considering how much leftovers we through away. I couldn't even imagine the smells that comes from our decaying leftovers. YUCK!

So I decided to use the leftovers, and make something new out of them. So I thought why not a Mexican Taco Lasagna? That could be good right? I had everything I needed, since we had tacos the night before. This dinner could be a real winner, or at least a ticket out of the grocery store and having to spend extra money.

Here is what you'll need:

• 12-14 small flour tortillas.You can also use large flour tortillas if you have a large casserole dish to fit them. 
• 1lb or more of fresh or leftover Taco meat
• abt 1lb of refried beans (fresh or leftover)
• abt 1lb of Spanish rice (fresh or leftover)
• 1 onion
• 1 bag of frozen corn or 2 cans (you can use left over corn if you have it)
• 1 can of black beans
• 2 cups of cheese or more if you like to add some in the middle
• Salsa Verde (green salsa)
• Sour cream (optional)
• Green onions (optional)
• 1 or more fresh tomatoes (optional) you can use canned too
• Mild Salsa (option)
• 1 can of Black Olives (optional)
• Preheat oven to 350 takes about an half hour to a hour to warm up in the oven depending on how many layers your Taco Lasagna has. 

Here are the steps I took for my 5 layered Taco Lasagna:

1. To start I preheated the oven to 350.
2. I then I took a square casserole dish and sprayed it with some non-stick cooking spray. You can use butter, or oil to coat your pan as well. Anything that wont allow your food to stick. 
3. I then placed two tortillas side by side and tore one up and placed it in the gaps where the pan was exposed. 
4. Next I needed something with moisture to bind the tortillas together while cooking, and to hold the layers together; so I choose a green salsa that we use on top of tacos (the brand I used was Herdez Salsa Verde Mild). I used about 2 to 3 large spoonfuls, and evenly spread it over the laid out flour tortillas. 
   
5. Now that I had my base of my Taco Lasagna laid out, I grabbed my container of leftover taco meat and evenly placed it onto of the tortillas. I made sure their was no gaps. 
6. I added another layer of tortillas side by side and then one tore up to fill the gaps. (I didn't use salsa here since the refried beans have moister inside them.)
7. And now time to lay the leftover refried beans. I did the same with the beans as I did with the meat. Although, I sprinkled some chopped onions over the top of the beans. I also thought that a little cheese would have done some justice here. If you try it let me know.  
8. Another layer of tortillas side by side and then one tore up to
   
   fill the gaps. With the added Green Salsa for binding. (You can also change up the salsa with red salsa if desired, let me know how that works if you try it.) 
9. Time for the Spanish Rice, spread evenly.
10. Another layer of tortillas side by side and then one tore up to fill the gaps. With the added Green Salsa for binding.
11. For my black bean, corn, and onion mixture; I precooked the frozen corn and rinsed my canned black beans, chopped my onion and tossed them together. I then evenly placed the mixture on top of the the tortillas. If you are using canned corn you do not have to precook the corn before mixing it into the mixture, but make sure to drain all the access water. 
    
12. Time for the final layer of tortillas side by side and then one tore up to fill the gaps. I used mild red chunky salsa to spread on the final layer to add some fun. 
13. Spread the cheese on top and place in the oven for about thirty minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on it every 10-15 minutes just to make sure your cheese is not getting over cooked. If your cheese is starting to brown before your Taco Lasagna can heat all the way through, just place some tinfoil over it and continue to cook. 
14. After you Taco Lasagna is done pull it out and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow it to cool, settle, and to prepare for easier cooking. I always think this step is important that way the ingredients can rest into each other and learn that they are meant to be. During this resting time, you can prepare the toppings, whatever you family enjoys. I used sour cream, fresh tomatoes and green onions (chives). Once you have your toppings ready it should be time to cut into slices just like your traditional lasagna and enjoy. This Taco Lasagna I made served 10. 

Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe made from leftovers, and if you have tried it. If you have tried it, what did you do differently? Also, I would love to hear about the interesting meals you have created from leftovers.