Easy Cheesy Spicy Enchiladas

I’ve had good intentions.

I’ve intended to post this recipe for a week now.

Every time I proceeded, someone or some-thing stopped me.

Life . . . it’s a blessing . . . it’s frustrating . . . it’s wonderful . . . it’s complicated.

This recipe is certainly a rib sticker, and you MUST NOT eat it everyday!

It’s spicy . . . it’s cheesy . . . it’s delicious and certainly not complicated.

If you follow the Pioneer Woman, maybe you have already made these,

but

you know your own tastes and the finicky eaters in your family, so vary it anyway you like.

I did.

I made just a few changes, to make my “not so spicy” loving husband happy.

I also halved the original recipe, since he isn’t a big eater . . . and neither am I.

It’s a good thing I’m married to a man who will eat leftovers.

He never complains!

Oh gosh . . . don’t tell him, but I make extra on purpose.

I love leftovers.

These leftovers seem to be just as awesome the next night.

The meat mixture is soooo simple.

I changed the recipe a bit.

I started browning a pound of very lean hamburger . . . drain the grease.

Hint:  After removing any visible grease, take a couple paper towels and squeeze any remaining grease out.

Out I say!

Here is my variation on the meat mixture.

I use onion powder  to taste instead of chopped onions. (1/2 teaspoon)

I add 2 teaspoons of sugar.

I added only 1 can of green chilies.

I added a can of red kidney beans that I rinsed well.  (Good for you)

I added 2 tablespoons of ketchup . . . yes ketchup.

I added  1/2 cup of my salsa.

This is also how I make my Taco meat.

Let it all simmer on very low heat while you make the Enchilada sauce.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes . . . just a slow simmer. (Hint:  I actually didn’t half the sauce recipe.  I poured half of it over the little taco bundles, then froze the other half of the sauce for later use.

This next part is optional, but trust me . . . it makes the sauce really yummy.

1/3 cup of cheddar cheese puts the sauce over the edge.

I like the mission brand the very best, because it isn’t thick and salty tasting – like other brands.

I also add 1 teaspoon of sugar.

It takes away the bite of the canned Enchilada sauce.

After your sauce has simmered about 10 minutes . . . stir in the 1/3 cup of cheddar cheese sauce.

Stir well.

Let it simmer very gently.

I added Cilantro, and also a few parsley flakes as well.

I used six corn tortillas.

I simply hate, hate, hate frying anything on top of my stove top.

It makes a mess, and my Presto Dual Daddy does not!

It’s wide and deep, and fries the tortilla shells . . . perfectly.

This is what I use to make french fries, potato chips  and more. My Dual Daddy is getting OLD and I haven’t been able to find a new one. Presto, this Dual Daddy Beast better not be discontinued!

When I make enchiladas, I like to fry the shells longer than you’re supposed to.

I fry them to a soft crisp . . . the shells are still formable, but barely.

I don’t soak the shells in the Enchilada sauce either.

Add a healthy dose of hamburger meat . . . sprinkle some grated cheese over the meat.

Roll it up, and place “seam side down” in your baking dish.

If you like, you can pour some of the sauce on the bottom of your baking dish, before laying in the corn tortillas.

I just put the leftover meat mixture and grated cheese under the fried tortilla rolls.

Not the sauce.

They don’t get soggy as fast!

Remember I halved the recipe, but squeezed six rolls into my dish.

8×8

I poured HALF of the sauce over the top.

It oozes down in the cracks easily.

Sprinkle grated cheese over the fried tortillas and add a few sliced olives.

Hint:  Don’t add Olives if you don’t like them!

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes – uncovered until hot and bubbly.

I need to tell you something.

Food blogging is not easy . . . let me tell you why.

I try to have a good meal each night for dinner, since I think my sweet half just eats fruit all day.

He never goes to lunch, and doesn’t brown bag it.

He just eats FRUIT!

Blogging recipes is time consuming, especially if you stop and stop and stop to take step by step pictures. I also like a picture of the finished entree, dessert or other. In order to take that final picture, I usually have to get off my butt and BAKE it.  This is where my problems comes into play.

If I go ahead and Bake it, so that  I can take the time to take final pictures . . .  I have to cook it ahead of dinner time.  Most of the time, my husband comes home after dark.  I rely on natural light, since I don’t have any fancy lighting equipment. Now that we set our clocks back, it’s dark really early.  See my problem?

 Besides that,

I don’t like trying to get pictures just right, while my hubbie is standing over me . . . laughing at my nonsense . . . and waiting to EAT!

 So . . . I bake it, but I under bake it! 

My main dish pictures are mostly under baked.

Once I know that my sweet half is on his way home, I pop it in the oven again.

Good as new!

Easy Cheesy Spicy Enchiladas

adapted from:  Pioneer Woman’s Simple Perfect Enchiladas

*read changes below recipe

Cook Time: 25 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 6

FOR THE SAUCE:
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
1 can (28 Ounce) Enchilada Or Red Sauce
2 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Cilantro

FOR THE MEAT:
1-1/2 pound Ground Beef
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
1/2 teaspoon Salt

FOR THE TORTILLAS:
10 whole (to 14) Corn Tortillas
1/2 cup Canola Oil

TO ASSEMBLE:
3 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Chopped Black Olives
1 cup Chopped Green Onions
1/2 cup Chopped Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Step #1 – The Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and flour and whisk together to make a paste, cooking for one minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, cilantro, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes.

Step #2 – The Meat
Brown the meat with onions in a skillet. Drain off fat. Stir in 2 cans diced green chilies and seasoned salt. Set aside.

Step #3 – Tortillas
Heat canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. One by one, using tongs, fry tortillas in oil until soft, not crisp – about 30 seconds per side. Remove to a paper—towel lined plate. Repeat until all tortillas have been fried.

Step #4 – Assembly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup red sauce in bottom of baking pan. Spread to even out. Dip each tortilla into red sauce, then remove to work surface. Spoon meat, a little grated cheese, a little black olives, and green onions in the center of tortilla. Roll up and place, seam down, in baking pan. Repeat until pan is filled. Pour extra red sauce over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle cilantro over enchiladas before serving.

Notes:

 Variation on the meat mixture:

I use onion powder  to taste instead of chopped onions. (1/2 teaspoon)

I add 2 teaspoons of sugar.

I added only 1 can of green chilies.

I added a can of red kidney beans that I rinsed well.  (Good for you)

I added 2 tablespoons of ketchup . . . yes ketchup.

I added  1/2 cup of my salsa.

This is also how I make my Taco meat.

 

Variation on the sauce:

Add 1/3 cup of Mission Brand cheddar cheese sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar

parsley flakes as well as Cilantro