Mexican Lasagna With Black Beans and Corn

Very tasty and fast. Make it a complete dinner just by adding a salad. It looks like a lot of steps, but it is easy. For a spicier dish, you can also use diced tomatoes with jalapenos. Do not use light or fat-free sour cream because it will curdle during baking. You can also add 1 cup of shredded, cooked chicken along with the black beans and corn in Steps 4 and 5. From the authors of 'Desperation Dinners.'

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

•  cooking spray
• 5  large flour tortillas (10-inch)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  frozen corn kernels
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (14 1/2ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1  large egg
• 16  ounces  regular sour cream
• 2  cups  shredded  Mexican blend cheese, divided use
• 1  bunch green onion (for 1/2 cup chopped)
• 1 (2 1/4ounce) can  sliced black olives (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F; Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray; Set aside.
2. Stack the tortillas on a cutting board, and slice through them lengthwise into 3 strips each (The strips will not be uniform because of their circular shape; This is OK) Set aside.
3. Pour the corn and black beans into a colander, and rinse with warm tap water to begin defrosting the corn and rinse the beans; Set aside to drain.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the tomatoes with their juice, the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and sugar; Spoon about half of the sauce into the bottom of the dish; Cover the sauce with 5 of the tortilla strips (it's fine if they overlap somewhat).
5. Break the egg into a medium-size mixing bowl, and beat with a whisk or fork until foamy; Add the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheese; Stir to mix well; Spoon half of the sour cream mixture evenly over the tortilla layer and spread it out with the back of a spoon; Scatter half of the corn and black beans over the sour cream mixture.
6. Place 5 more tortilla strips evenly over the corn and black bean layer; Top with the remaining sour cream mixture, and the remaining black beans and corn; Place the remaining tortilla strips over the dish; Pour the remaining tomato sauce mixture over the tortillas, and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon to moisten all of the tortilla strips.
7. Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
8. While the dish bakes, rinse and trim the green onions; Slice the green onions thinly, using all of the whites and enough of the tender green tops to make 1/2 cup; Set aside.
9. If using the black olives, drain them well, and set aside.
10. After baking lasagna, scatter the green onions and olives, if using, evenly over the dish; Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 5 more minutes.
11. Remove the dish from the oven, and scatter the remaining cup of Mexican cheese evenly over the dish.
12. Return the dish, uncovered, to the oven, and bake until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
13. Remove the lasagna from the oven, and let it stand 10 minutes; Slice into squares and serve.