Red Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried parsley
¼ cup salsa
1 6 oz can tomato sauce
1 ½ cups water
To make the red sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the onion powder, chili powder, oregano, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, tomato sauce and salsa. Mix well and then stir in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or more.
Casserole
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup diced smoked turkey sausage
2 cups shredded light cheddar cheese
6 large spinach tortillas
While sauce is simmering, make the casserole filling. In a large saucepan or skillet, combine spices, broth and rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid absorbed. Combine sausage and black beans with the rice mixture.
In a lightly greased 9×12 baking dish, pour enough red sauce to cover the bottom. Top with 2 tortillas, breaking them to fit as necessary. Top tortillas with half of the rice and bean mixture. Sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Top with another 2 tortillas, then with the remaining rice and bean mixture. Sprinkle with another third of the cheese. Top with remaining tortillas. Pour red sauce evenly over top of the tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole if desired.
This recipe is basically a short-cut version of my Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas. The directions sound more complicated but this way is actually faster than assembling each enchilada individually. Also the sausage saves you time instead of having to cook and shred the chicken. It’s just as delicious, maybe even more than the original. I love the smokey flavour that the sausage adds to this dish. My family sure approved of it. Tony had an entire 2nd dinner of this stuff once the kids were in bed. It makes great leftovers, and it freezes well too.
This recipe has been added to Mommy’s Kitchen Sunday Potluck, please visit her site:
My kids like to whine, especially when it comes to the food they eat, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to make tasty and healthy meals for them. Follow along as I share family-friendly recipes and reviews from my picky family members, who I lovingly call “The Whine Critics.” 
