Tortilla Pie Touchdown

I kinda love Foodbuzz.  Not only is the website a big ol' round-up of many of the best food blogs and foodie information on the web, but being a featured publisher often lends me some fun opportunities.  As part of their Tastemaker program, I was able to receive 2 free jars of Pace Picante sauce to cook with, courtesy of Pace of course.

Now the fact that the jars were free in no way colors that the flavor is well-balanced yet robust, and it's one of the only commercially made picante sauces to declare its all natural ingredients and Gluten Free status, which is important to an allergic like me!

Perhaps the most fortuitous part of the Pace arriving at my door is that it is just in time for Super Bowl (somewhat of a religion for me.)  And food-wise Super Bowl, to me, is not just about the finger foods- it's all about the main event.  For years I was just like most Americans, ordering pizza on the best unofficial holiday, but once I couldn't do that, I had to come up with fun foods to serve in take-out pizza's absence.  And what I found is that there are several Super Bowl worthy dishes we are all not making, and they all taste better than take-out pizza.

Thus comes a quick & easy and endlessly tasteful number that you can whip up and dish out during half-time or any other day of year.  Though there may be some argument whether the below is a pie or a casserole, there's one thing you'll agree on: it's a touchdown!

Essentially, the recipe can be done however you want, with any ingredients you want, but I'm going to tell you how I assembled mine.  All of the ingredients can be spread according to tastes, for example, if you LOVE cheese, use more cheese.  There's no cheese police waiting on the other side of your oven ready to give you a ticket for unnatural love of a dairy product.

Tortilla Pie

Ingredients:

4 oz roasted green chiles

1 or 2 jars Pace Picante Sauce (I used mild)

1 cup or more of shredded cheese to taste (I used a 1/2 fat Mexican Blend from Trader Joe's)

8.5 oz refried pinto beans

4-6 sweet peppers, chopped or diced

5 large brown rice tortillas

fresh cilantro to taste

 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 9 inch, deep dish pie plate, place 1 brown rice tortilla, patting it down into the shape of the plate.

Sprinkle cheese to taste on top of the tortilla and then place another tortilla on top, pressing down again. (It is important your first layer just includes cheese like a glued base, because if the bottom gets too wet, your pie will fall apart while serving)

On top of the 2nd tortilla, spread Pace picante sauce, cheese, and half the sweet peppers, with some fresh cilantro.

 

Place a 3rd tortilla on top and press down into place.

Onto the 3rd tortilla, spread about 4 oz of refried beans, Pace picante sauce, half the roasted chiles, and cheese.

Place a 4th tortilla on top and press down into place.

Onto the 4th tortilla, pile everything on: the beans, the Pace picante sauce, the rest of the roasted chiles, the rest of the sweet peppers, cilantro and cheese.

Place a 5th tortilla on top and press down into place.

Top the 5th tortilla with Pace Picante, cheese and fresh cilantro.

Pop that sucker in the oven for about 35 minutes, watching, making sure those tortillas don't get too brown.

I served it with some roasted butternut squash sprinkled with chili powder, sweet paprika and a touch of cinnamon.  It was the perfect healthy side "commercial" for a Super Bowl ready "main event."

I hope you enjoy it too!