Ninja-Fied King Ranch Casserole

To make the Green Chile Cashew Cheeze

1. In small saucepan, add butternut squash, cashews, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt.
2. Cover with water and bring to a slow boil on medium-high heat for 10 minutes until butternut is completely cooked.
3. Remove from heat to cool, drain and add mixture to a high-speed blender.
4. Add in remaining ingredients (except hatch chili) and blend for 3-4 minutes until wicked smooth, then add hatch chili and pulse for 5 seconds to incorporate but still leave it chunky.

When you are ready to assemble the casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly but evenly spray a 9X13-inch casserole dish with oil.
3. Layer 1/3 of the tortillas in the bottom, then top with 1/3 of the chopped chard.
4. Combine the tomatoes, onion and parsley and layer 1/3 of that mixture, 1/4 of the green chile cashew cheeze, 1/3 of the black beans and 1/3 sliced avocado, so it’s evenly distributed.
5. Repeat process two more times.
6. Evenly add remaining Cashew Cream to the top and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until bubbly and golden brown. Add the crumbled tortilla chips on the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes, keeping an eye on it to ensure they just turns slightly golden and do not burn.
7. While the casserole is baking, make the salsa pico by gently mixing all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
8. Set aside.
9. Once bake time is done, remove casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.
10. To serve, top with a few tablespoons of the fresh Salsa Pico (save some for the side) fresh cilantro, jalapeño, lime wedge and brown rice, tortilla chips and hot sauce as desired.