Here’s a good cooler weather comfort food. The refried beans are not easy to spread, just do the best you can. You can warm and stir them in a microwave-safe bowl to make them a bit easier to spread. As usual, if there’s an ingredient you don’t have, even the chard, leave it out or substitute something similar.
Swiss Chard Tortilla Casserole
1/4 C olive oil
1 chopped Vidalia onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 8-oz package of chopped mushrooms
1/2 t Lawry’s
1 can black beans
1 bunch of chopped Swiss chard leaves (roll up the leaves and chop them across)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1/4 C chives or green onion if you have it
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t cumin
~20 6” corn tortillas – stale ones are fine – cut into quarters
2 C shredded cheddar or blend of cheeses
1 can vegetarian refried beans
Preheat oven to 375. Cook the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and season salt in oil for about five minutes. Add black beans and chard and cook another 3-5 minutes until chard wilts. Meanwhile in another pot, or use a glass bowl and microwave it, heat the tomatoes, chives, and cilantro.
Put 1/3 of the tortilla pieces into a sprayed 9×13 pan. Spread 1/3 of the tomato mixture over them, and then half of the greens. Cover the greens with 1 cup shredded cheese. Add another third of tortilla pieces, 1/3 the tomato mixture, and the rest of the greens. Last, put the rest of the tortilla pieces and spread the refried beans over them. Spread the rest of the tomatoes on top, and top with the second cup of cheese. Bake 20 minutes.
