Layered Mexican Barley Casserole

2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
¾ c. barley (or substitute 1 c. brown rice, but then it's Mexican Rice Casserole)
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
pinch of kosher salt
1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
½ tsp. garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed garlic
½ tsp. chili powder
16 oz. prepared fresh salsa
1 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese
4 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

Bring chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, and oregano to a low boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in barley, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 45 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. (You could do this step a day or two before and keep the barley in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the casserole.)
About 20 minutes before your barley is ready, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper strips, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and saute until vegetables are tender. Remove from pan to a bowl. (You can cook the vegetables with the meat in the next step if you prefer.)
In the same skillet, add the ground meat, garlic powder, and chili powder, Saute meat, crumbling as it cooks, until cooked through.
Now it's time to assemble! Spread the cooked barley in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the peppers and onion over the barley, and then the cooked meat over that. Spread the salsa over the meat, then cheese on top, and finally sprinkle with green onions.
Bake in preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. (Baking time will increase if the ingredients were not hot when you assembled the dish.)

Serving Size: 6 servings

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user DE40EF1661.