My Taco Bake With Black Beans And Hominy is a great way to switch up having traditional tacos to a casserole with all the flavors you love.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
Yields: 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (9 x 9) baking dish, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, 3 large mixing bowls, 1 medium-size mixing bowl.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds of ground pork (substitute ground meat of your choice)
1 sweet onion, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves of  garlic, minced
1 cup of Cantina-style salsa
1 (15.5-ounce) can of hominy, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can of black beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup of frozen corn, thawed
8 small flour tortillas
2 limes, juiced
2 bunches of cilantro (each bunch equals approx. 3/4 cup of packed cilantro leaves)
1 pint of red grape tomatoes, halved
1 pint of yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 Fresno chili, seeded and minced
2 avocados, pitted and diced
1 package (8-ounces) of shredded cheese, Mexican blend
1 package (8-ounces) of Colby jack shredded cheese
3 tablespoons of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons of taco seasoning
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 cup of beef stock, unsalted

Ingredients For Cantina-style Salsa:
2 (15-ounce) cans of fire-roasted tomatoes, drained (substitute diced tomatoes)
1/2 onion, quartered
1/2 a jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt

Ingredients For Taco Seasoning:
6 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
4 teaspoons of smoked paprika
8 teaspoons of ground cumin
4 teaspoons of Kosher salt
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

Note: Recipe yields approx. 3/4 cup of taco seasoning
Note: 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of ground meat.

Directions For Taco Seasoning:
Add all the ingredients for the taco seasoning into a medium-size mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
Tip: Store taco seasoning, in an airtight container, in a dry cool place.

Directions:
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat add olive oil with ground pork. Add the diced onion. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Continue stirring, add minced garlic, 4 tablespoons of the taco seasoning, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Add beef stock, reduce the heat to medium, simmer for another 15 minutes.

Turn the heat off, add  2 tablespoons of fresh chopped cilantro. Set aside.

Directions For Cantina-Style Salsa:
In the meantime to a food processor, add fire-roasted tomatoes, quartered onion, 1/2 cup of cilantro leaves, 1/2 the minced Fresno chili, garlic, the juice of one lime, sugar, and 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Pulse the ingredients together until you get the consistency of a Cantina-style salsa. Transfer to a medium-size mixing bowl. Set aside.

Directions For the Avocado Pico de Gallo:
In another large mixing bowl add the red and yellow grape tomatoes, diced red onion, 1/2 the minced Fresno chili, 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped cilantro, diced avocado, the juice of one lime, and 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. Gently mix to combine. Place plastic wrap directly over the salsa. This prevents the avocado from turning brown. Transfer to refrigerator to chill.

In a large mixing bowl add both kinds of cheese, mix to combine.
In another large mixing bowl add the black beans, corn, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro, hominy, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, mix to combine.

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
In a casserole dish, start by ladling 1/2 cup of salsa in the bottom. Arrange 4 tortillas on top of the salsa. Add half of the meat mixture spreading it out evenly over the tortillas. Add half the cheese mixture. Next spoon the hominy, black bean, and corn mixture evenly over the cheese. Using a spoon, add dollops of salsa over the top of the hominy mixture. Arrange another 4 tortillas for the next layer. Add the remaining meat mixture, again spreading it out evenly over the tortillas. Add a few more dollops of salsa. Finish with spreading the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top.

Spray the dull side of a large piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray (this will prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil when it’s removed). Cover tightly, bale for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Let rest for around 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro. To serve, place a slice of the taco bake onto a serving plate, top with the Avocado Pico de Gallo.

There you have it, my Taco Bake With Black Beans And Hominy.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/