Tostada-Style Lasagne

"Delicious!"--Mama Mouse

2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, cut up--do NOT drain
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (1 cup)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
1 (15-1/2 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
8 lasagna noodles, cooked, drained, and halved crosswise
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (16 ounces)
shredded lettuce, at serving time
broken tortilla chips, at serving time
cherry tomatos, halved, at serving time

Cook meat and onion until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes and can juices, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, chili powder, and red pepper. Simmer uncovered 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans. In each of two 10x6x2-inch freezer-to-oven baking dishes, arrange one-fourth of the cooked noodles crosswise and spread with one-fourth of the meat mixture. Sprinkle half of the cheese atop each. Top with remaining noodles and meat mixture. To freeze for later use: Cover tightly; Seal, label, and freeze. To bake for immediate use: Cover casserole and heat at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more or until hot. To serve, pass separate bowls of lettuce, tortilla chips, and tomatoes to sprinkle on top of serving portions.

To serve, bake frozen casserole, covered, at 400 degrees F. for 1-1/2 hours. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more.

Makes 2 casseroles, each casserole serves 4 to 6.

[clipped from "Better Homes and Gardens"