If you live in Houston...you gotta have Mexican!

When you live in Houston you eat a lot of Mexican food. A LOT! Tex-Mex to be exact. The weeone and I probably eat Mexican food at least once each week. (well, she says twice, but that may just be her sneaking out or something). Our favorite place to go is a little dive in NW Houston called Don Jose's. It's been there since God was a child, or at least since I was a child. My family used to eat there every Friday night when I was a kid. I have the best memories of ordering a Shirley Temple, eating chips and salsa and a Number 8. For the record, the Number 8 is exactly the same meal it was when I was a little girl. I love that!

Mexican food is one of those things that I prefer to eat in a restaurant. There's usually lots of ingredients and there's some sort of magic that happens in the kitchen in a Mexican restaurant that makes food taste better. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely magical. And then there's the margaritas....frozen, on the rocks, with salt, without salt, lime, strawberry...oh the joy in those little glasses.....um, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, dinner....

When we eat Mexican food at home it's usually fajitas or tacos. But tonight...we tried something new. I made a Chicken Tortilla Stack. It was layers of flavor. Literally. =)

One of the best parts about cooking anything Mexican is the reliance on fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients make for yummier food. It's a fact, jack! There's something about starting with a piece of produce that grew from the the ground that makes everything taste a lot better. So, out of the ground = good. out of a can = not as good.

So here you go - easy, peasy. Quick. Yummy. A little cheesy. Definitely Mexican. And did I mention yummy?

Chicken Tortilla Stack

from me =)

Serves 4

4, 8" flour tortillas ( I like to use whole wheat )

1 cup spicy black bean dip (or use reduced fat or fat free refried black beans)

1/2 cup spur-of-the-moment salsa ( diced tomatoes, diced onions, chopped cilantro, a little lime juice and 2-3 shakes of cumin)

2 cups shredded cooked Chicken Breast ( I season it with Penzey's fajita seasoning)

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Monterrey Jack cheese ( or any cheese you'd like!)

Cooking Spray

Preheat the oven to about 450 degrees. Spray the bottom of a springform pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix the shredded chicken with your spur-of-the-moment salsa. Spread 1/4 cup black beans on a tortilla, top with 1/4 of the chicken mixture then 2 tablespoons cheese. Continue with the remaining 3 tortillas to layer and stack. Back at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until the stack is hot and the cheesy is gooey and melted. Cut into 4 pieces and serve right away.

Nutritional Information: Per 1/4 of stack

Calories 306, Fat 9.5g (sat fat 4.5g), Carbs 32.25g, Protein 25g, Sodium 802mg, Fiber 11g