Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

After I wrote this post, I went to find the pictures to go with it and they were no where to be found : (  I thought I took pictures when I cooked this!  So sorry for the lack of images and abundance of words in this post. 

All I could find was a few end result images on my phone.

ugh, who reads blog for the words.....
 

 Update: I found my photos. filed under 'flower and yard' ha! Whoops! but they weren't that great, so the post will remain as it was. : )
 

So I tend to make the same few dinners over and over again...despite the fact that I am constantly pinning recipes.  I rarely make them and when I do, half the time they don't come out that great....

So when I made this one, and it was AMAZING, I figured I needed to share!

 

This recipe called for quinoa......

I had never made quinoa before since it seems complicated and exotic...but I was brave and bought some...and started cooking it......then freaked out and texted all my lady friends asking if it was like pasta where you drained the water at the end or like rice where is absorbed all the water.... Well ladies and gentleman, it is like rice, it absorbs all the liquid AND it is not hard to make or complicated and I feel silly for avoiding it for so long! ha!

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

from the Damn Delious Blog

found via Pinterest

 

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1 (10-ounce) can Old El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce

I could only find a larger can so I just used half

1 (4.5-ounce) can Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles, drained

1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted

1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

eww  I omitted the cilantro

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

I used the mild cheddar/jack mix from shoprite

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

1 Roma tomato, diced

 

Instructions

In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

 

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

 

Spread quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and cheeses have melted, about 15 minutes.

 

Serve immediately, garnished with avocado and tomato, if desired.

 

When I first made this and took it out of the oven, it was still wet and pretty liquidy..so I baked it a little longer than the recipe called for, and then let it sit on the counter for a while before we ate it.  I was so afraid I had ruined dinner, but it finally set, and was quite yummy.  This was probably due to me not knowing what to do with quinoa since it was kind of wet when I mixed it in with the other ingredients.  So when I make it again, I will see if I have that same issue.

 

 

And it reheats well for lunch! Yay!  Do yourself a favor and make this! : )