Week 4- Dinner: Chicken, Black Bean & Tortilla Casserole

I've been cooking, I swear. I just haven't been recording it. Time for catch up!
This casserole was awesome. I will definitely make it again, though I do think it needs a bit of a kick. I used hot salsa unintentionally and I think the casserole would have been bland if I hadn't. Next time I intend to add some hot sauce or chili powder or pickled jalapenos, or maybe Pepper Jack cheese. I would also cut down on the amount of cheese on top. I love cheese, but this seemed excessive and made it pretty unhealthy. Huge plus for this meal is that it was even better as a leftover (I guess that's really the mark of a good casserole, isn't it?)

Chicken, Black Bean and Tortilla Casserole
(from The Big Book of Casseroles by Maryana Vollstedt, page 102)

1 T vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used a yellow pepper)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14 oz can tomatoes, including juices, lightly pureed in the food processor
1/2 cup salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
8 corn tortillas
4 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add onion, pepper and garlic and saute until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salsa, cumin, oregano, salt & pepper and mix well. Stir in beans and chicken.
In a 4-quart casserole dish (I used a 2-1/2 quart bc it was the biggest one I had, and it turned out fine) lightly coated with cooking spray, spread one-third of the bean and chicken mixture over the bottom. Top with 4 tortillas and sprinkle with one cup of cheese. Add another third of the bean mixture, 4 more tortillas and another cup of cheese. Finish with remaining bean mixture. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Remove lid, add remaining cheese (this is where I think you could get away with 1/2 or 1 cup of cheese instead of 2 whole cups) and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes longer.
Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.