Beef and Green Chile Enchilada Bake

I should really call this "All My Husband's Favorites" Enchilada Bake ;)  I pretty much took what he loves about different things that I've made and put it all together into one dish.  I was really happy with how it turned out.   You really could just make the seasoned meat with the green chilies and use it to make tacos, burritos, or tostadas.

Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon basil

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup water

• 7 oz can diced green chilies

• Green enchilada sauce

• 6 corn tortillas

• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, shredded

• Sliced black olives (optional)

• Sour cream (optional)

• Chives, scallions or cilantro to garnish (optional)

Sauté the ground beef and onion over medium high heat. Once the ground beef has been browned and the onions are translucent drain fat. Reduce the heat to medium low. Add chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Stir well to mix the seasonings into the meat. Add the water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the green chilies, and simmer for five minutes

Place about four tablespoons of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8X8 pan. Add a layer of corn tortillas (I cut two in half and leave the third whole. Then put the straight edges of the halves against the sides of the pan and the rounded side towards the middle. I place the uncut tortilla in the middle). Put half of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas, cover with more enchilada sauce, and half of the cheese. Do one more layer of tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese. Top with sliced olives (optional) and bake for 30 minutes.

To serve top with sour cream and garnish with cilantro, chives, or scallions.

Here's the recipe for the spanish rice we had with it...

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-spanish-rice/Detail.aspx