Mexican Breakfast Casserole with Hopi Blue Maize Tortilla Chips

A Mexican style chip and dip breakfast!

     Baked egg entrees are a nice treat for breakfast.  This Mexican breakfast casserole has plenty of flavor and it is full of hearty ingredients to start a day with.  The Hopi blue maize tortilla chips turns this Mexican egg casserole into a casual laid back chip & dip breakfast experience!
     I was going to make Huevos Oaxaca today, but I kind of liked this casserole idea.  This casserole creation is a little bit different than most Mexican breakfast casserole recipes on the internet.  I used no "north of the border" ingredients to make this recipe other than Hopi blue maize tortilla chips.  The Hopi people live just north of Mexico in Arizona and New Mexico.  The dark blue maize that the Hopi people grow is an heirloom maize that has a natural rich flavor.  I personally prefer old Native American heirloom breeds of maize over modern hybrids of sweet corn.  Sweet corn is kind of a gringo thing.  Nearly all sweet corn at grocery stores is a GMO artificial product that has been proven to be a health hazard.
      The cheese in this casserole is queso fresco.  Queso fresco (fresh cheese) is popular worldwide from Arabia to the Americas.  Italian fresh mozzarella is similar to Mexican queso fresco.  Queso fresco is also like Lebanese Galilee Village cheese.  That was one of the very first cheeses that were ever created.
     Nice casserole entrees are usually assembled in a way that allows certain ingredients to simmer or brown.  Refried beans line the casserole.  Jalapeno cilantro eggs are placed on top of the refried beans.  The casserole is topped with cheese and vegetables that are often used to top tostadas.
     Home made refried beans are the best, but they literally take all day to make.  I have posted a few refried bean recipes in this food site, if you wish to make your own.  Canned refried beans are a real time saver for breakfast.  Traditional refried beans are made with lard or vegetable oil.  Good quality canned refried beans need no extra seasoning.  Some brands are better than others.  It seems like the Mexican brands of canned refritos are higher in quality than the Americanized brands that are heavily advertised.
     You can fry your own home made blue maize tortilla chips for this recipe or simply use a bag of store bought blue maize tortilla chips.  I used a bag of small production organic blue corn tortilla chips for this casserole.  Some of the smaller manufacturers specialize in nice quality heirloom maize tortilla chips.  The tortilla chips simply line the casserole after the casserole is baked.  This entree is meant to be a tasty chip & dip style breakfast.  
     
     Refritos:
     Canned refried beans are convenient and they are okay for this recipe.  Here is a link to a refried bean recipe, if you prefer to make your own:  Refried Beans
     Heat 1 1/4 cups of refritos in a small sauce pot over low heat.
     Add a tiny splash of water to the refritos as they heat, so the refritos do not become not too thick.
     Keep the refried beans warm over very low heat.

     Cilantro Mild Chile Pepper Eggs:
     Place 2 eggs in a mixing bowl.
     Add 1 tablespoon of milk.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped roasted red bell pepper.

     Add 10 chopped cilantro leaves.

     Whisk the egg mixture, till it becomes blended.

     Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 2 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion.
     Add 1 thin sliced green jalapeno pepper.
     Saute till the pepper and onions start to become tender.
     Add the egg mixture.
     Saute and scramble the egg mixture, till it becomes fully cooked.
     Remove the pan from the heat.

     Mexican Breakfast Casserole with Hopi Blue Maize Tortilla Chips:
     Spoon the refritos into a small casserole dish.

     Spread the refritos over the bottom of the casserole dish in an even layer.

     Mound the egg mixture on the center of the refried beans in the casserole dish.
     Place 5 or 6 thin slices of tomato on the eggs.
     Sprinkle a generous amount of grated queso fresco over the ingredients in the casserole.
     Sprinkle a few sliced black olives over the cheese.
     Bake the casserole in a 325º oven.
     When the casserole becomes hot and the cheese starts to soften and melt, then the casserole is finished baking.
     Note:  Try not to brown the queso fresco when baking.  Traditionally, queso fresco is just softened and melted.  Browning cheese is not traditional in Mexican cooking.
     Set the hot casserole dish on a serving platter.
     Line the edge of the casserole with blue corn tortilla chips.
     Sprinkle a thin bias sliced green onion top over the casserole.
     Garnish the casserole with cilantro sprigs.
     Garnish with thin sliced lime curls.
  
     This breakfast casserole is mildly spicy and full of warm comfortable Mexican breakfast flavors.  The crisp blue maize tortilla chips are nice for casually scooping up the casserole ingredients.  This is a fun Mexican style breakfast entree!  ...  Shawna