Jack in the Box tacos make a great casserole

The finished Jack in the Box taco casserole. The finished Jack in the Box taco casserole. Photo: Greg Morago Photo: Greg Morago Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Jack in the Box tacos make a great casserole 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

In the 20-plus years I've been writing about food I've come across many questionable recipes.

Most published recipes have been tested enough that they work; the end product usually looks like the picture, and may even be delicious enough to add to your repertoire of meal favorites. Some, though, sound just plain weird.

This was not the case of the casserole I recall reading that was built on Jack in the Box tacos – similar to an enchilada casserole but made with tacos layered with enchilada sauce and cheese. While some might cringe at the thought of such a concoction – after all, the famous Jack in the Box taco can be a divisive food – I thought it made perfect sense. It sounded just as persuasive as another recipe I read using a fast food favorite: a casserole made with layers of White Castle hamburgers.

I was reminded of the Jack in the Box casserole this week when the Wall Street Journal published a Page 1 story about the addictive nature of the "deep-fried beef envelopes." Jack in the Box sells 554 million of its iconic tacos a year, according to the report; "more than 1,000 times a minute, someone bites into what has been described as a wet envelope of cat food -- and keeps eating."

The article went on to detail the love affair many Americans have with the tacos which are among the fast food world's biggest bargains: 2 for about a dollar.

I didn't need to be convinced about the taco's appeal. I've been a fan since childhood. My Mexican-American mother was a wonderful cook and made exemplary tacos (as well as house-made salsa) but my siblings and I continued to crave both Jack in the Box's greasy crunchers as well as Taco Bell's models of crispy-shell/tingling ground beef goodness. And they were always cheap which meant that even at our lowest economic periods we could still afford $2 worth of tacos.

So when friends began linking to the Wall Street Journal's Jack in the Box taco story, my thoughts immediately turned to the Jack in the Box taco casserole recipe. But to my surprise I couldn't find it in Google searches. Had my love of JITB tacos (coupled with my fervent admiration for any type of enchilada casserole) been something I dreamed up? No, the idea of sandwiching these addictive tacos with enchilada sauce and cheese sounds so logical and simple. It rings true in my fast food-addled mind.

So, here's a recipe for the Jack in the Box taco casserole that may or may not have existed but now does:

Jack in the Box Taco Casserole

20-22 Jack in the Box tacos

1 28-ounce can enchilada sauce

3 cups shredded cheese

Chopped scallions to top, optional

Build the casserole in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that has been lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Lay down first layer of tacos (about 6 or 7) and top with 1/3 of the enchilada sauce and a cup of cheese. Repeat for three layers. Sprinkle the top layer of cheese with some scallions and bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the casserole slightly bubbling.

Notes: You can certainly add chopped white onion in the layers as well as black olives. Use as much cheese as you want depending on how gooey you you're your casserole. Enchilada sauces vary in taste; my favorite is the Las Palmas brand (it's excellent, opt for the hotter version if your store carries it). If you're not going to make your casserole soon after buying your JIB tacos in bulk, remove them from the paper sacks and place in a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate. The tacos tend to stick to the paper the longer they sit.