Mexilasagna: An Enchilada Casserole (gluten-free)

When I stopped eating wheat, I was a little disheartened by the thought of not eating enchiladas, one of my favorites. But the reintroduced the corn tortilla to our household and all is well in the world again. So this can be a gluten-free recipe if you use a gluten-free enchilada sauce--which most probably are unless there's a wheat-based thickening agent.

Since corn tortillas don't roll up well without breaking apart, layering the tortillas with filling like a lasagna works so well. This is my old enchilada recipe simply served in a different form. So good.

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Ingredients

Filling
1 8-oz box cream cheese or Neufchâtel (1/3 less fat)
3 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 small onion, 2 green onions, and 1 red bell pepper, diced and sautéed in 2 Tbs oil w/ dash S&P
1 small can diced green chilies
(optional) 1 small can green Salsa Mexicana 
1 C shredded Mexican and/or cheddar cheese blend
1 Tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder/garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika

Layers
White or yellow corn tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce (green or red)
1 4-6oz can red Salsa Mexicana
More cheddar/Mexican cheese to sprinkle between layers and on top
3 green onions, diced (save 1/3 to sprinkle on top as garnish)

Serve with
Sour cream
Your favorite hot sauce
Your favorite green or red salsa
Avocado
etc.

Directions
Cook the chicken thighs (sauteed, Foreman-ed, baked, whatever) and dice them up. Sautee diced peppers and onions with S&P. Set aside to cool as you mix the filling ingredients in a standing mixer or by hand.

In a 9x13 ungreased pan, pour 1/2 C of the enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the pan. Layer corn tortillas on the bottom, breaking a tortilla into pieces to fill in the gaps.

Spread a layer of filling, then pour a little enchillada sauce on, then a sprinkle of cheese, then another layer of corn tortillas. Spread a second layer of filling, and this time, top with that one small can of Salsa Mexicana. Sprinkle with cheese, add another layer of corn tortillas, etc.

After your last layer of corn tortillas, pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top, then a hearty layer of cheese. Sprinkle with the third of the diced green onions you'd set aside.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Serve hot.

Ridiculously Rich Almond Flour Fudge Brownies

A friend shared a sugar-free almond flour brownie recipe with me, but let's be honest. I can't make brownies without sugar and chocolate chips. So this is what I came up with. This recipe is gluten-free if you care about that kind of thing.

Mistledoe's Ridiculously Rich Almond Fudge Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8x8 glass or metal pan and set aside.

Mix:
1/3 C brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1/2 C butter melted
1 Tbs vanilla
3 eggs

Add:
1/2 C almond flour
1/4 C brown rice flour
1/4 C white rice flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 C Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 C chocolate chips

Optional:
Add 1/3 C chopped walnuts
Top with powdered sugar
Drizzle with hot fudge
Eat entire pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Sleep peacefully.

Note: Almond Flours 
I used blanched bulk almond flour from Winco which I found was more finely ground and not as gritty as Trader Joe's almond meal and Bob's Red Mill almond meal, so the brownies have a really nice fudgy texture when combined with the even more finely ground rice flours.