Slow Cooker Low-Carb Mexican Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 T Kalyn’s Taco Seasoning
• 1 cup Pace Picante Sauce
• 2 cans Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles
• 6 low-carb tortillas, cut in half
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 can diced green chiles, drained
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups grated Mexican Cheese Blend

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan, add the ground beef, breaking it apart with your fingers, and cook over medium-high heat until the beef is browned and cooked through. Break beef apart with a turner or old fashioned potato masher (affiliate link) as it cooks so it’s in small pieces.
2. When the beef is done, push it over to the side, add a little more oil if needed, and cook the diced onion for a few minutes; then mix the onion with the beef.
3. Add Kalyn’s Taco Seasoning, salsa, and Ro-Tel tomatoes and simmer over low heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and when you draw a turner across the bottom of the pan you don’t see any liquid.
4. While beef mixture cooks, mix together the cottage cheese, drained green chiles, eggs, and 1 cup of the cheese.
5. Cut the tortillas in half with kitchen shears and spray the slow cooker insert with non-stick spray.
6. In the crockery casserole dish insert, make a layer of tortillas, using the cut side of the tortillas to go along the straight sides. Use the least amount of tortillas you can to cover the bottom.
7. Make a layer of half the spicy meat mixture, half the cottage cheese mixture, and one cup of the grated cheese (or more). Then make a second layer each of the tortillas, meat mixture, cottage cheese mixture, and grated cheese.
8. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for about 2 1/2 hours or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is nicely melted. (I carefully lift the lid on the Crock-Pot Casserole Crock Slow Cooker at least once during the cooking time and pour off any accumulated liquid.)
9. If you’re using the Casserole Crock, you can brown the finished dish in a 400F/200C oven for about 15 minutes if desired, but that step is completely optional. (Crock-Pot doesn’t recommend putting the casserole crock under the broiler.)
10. If you want to try this in the oven, a reader reported she baked it for 45 minutes and it turned out perfectly and was a hit with her husband. I’d use 375F/190C if you’re baking it in a casserole dish!