Enchilada Plate Pie

You really can't mess this up. Add a bit more or less or change it up with chopped or shredded chicken.  I like to make this dish to use up leftover beans or rice. Who doesn't love an enchilada plate combination at your favorite Mexican restaurant? Well, I don't know many people that don't, anyway. This is delicious, cheesy and easy. Freeze half for a rainy day when you don't want to cook. Perfect for heat and eat lunches at work.

Enchilada Plate Pie
serves 8 or more

Ingredients:

1½ pounds ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
a few shakes of Tabasco or hot sauce, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 envelopes taco seasoning
salt, to taste (taco seasonings vary in saltiness, so be careful)
1 cup cooked rice
2 cups Leftover beans are perfect or 1 can pinto, ranch, or even black beans
1 small can black olives, chopped

1 hand full of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese
corn tortillas
Sour cream, Optional

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions to yield 1 cup. While rice is cooking, brown ground beef over medium high heat in skillet. Add diced onions and can of chilies. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. When onions are transparent, add tomato sauce, Tabasco, sugar, garlic, taco seasoning and salt. Stir until ingredients are incorporated. Add rice, beans, black olives and chopped cilantro. Mix well. Remove from heat. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Line casserole with tortillas, overlapping slightly to cover bottom and sides. Add 1/3 ground beef mixture. Next add 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Add another layer of tortillas and repeat this process alternating mix, cheese and tortillas. Bake in oven at 375 for 30 minutes or until tortillas are soft and cheese is bubbling. Slice and serve with dollop of sour cream and garnish with cilantro if desired.