Friday, October 11, 2013

Family Favorites Friday: Cheater Enchiladas

Call me lazy or call me efficient, but any recipe with repetitive steps needs to be stream-lined.  Getting rid of the rolling up of tortillas was the impetus for creating 'cheater' enchiladas.  You get the same flavor and look without the time consuming task of filling and rolling 18 - 24 tortillas.  Anybody agree this is more efficient?

My family loves the enchilada sauce that goes with this recipe. 

You could use a canned sauce, but once you make this sauce and discover how easy it really is, you will declare it to be the Best-Ever Enchilada Sauce, too.  My family will testify that this sauce also makes a tasty beginning to an enchilada soup.

BEST-EVER ENCHILADA SAUCE

2 cups beef broth 
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
8 garlic cloves, pressed
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon ground cumin


In medium saucepan, melt butter.  Whisk in flour, stir in broth and remaining ingredients.  Stir/whisk until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth and thickened.
You really can't mess up when making this sauce.  You could melt the butter and then throw everything else into the pan and it would be ok.  I prefer to follow traditional sauce making steps.
Yield:  about 4 cups

Store in jar in refrigerator for up to 7 days or freeze for later. 


CHEATER ENCHILADAS

 

Easy Enchiladas
Best Ever Enchiladas

 

(the filling ingredients can be changed to suit your preference)

14 corn or flour tortillas, your preference
Best-Ever Enchilada Sauce
3 cups cooked ground beef or chopped chicken
1 onion chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 pablano or jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

Combine meat, onion, pepper,1 cup of enchilada sauce, and chili powder in a bowl. 
Spread about 1 cup of enchilada sauce on bottom of jelly-roll size pan (11" x 15").
Arrange 1/2 the tortillas over sauce to cover the bottom on the pan. Like this:



Best Ever Enchiladas
It doesn't have to be pretty, just cover the bottom of the pan.

Spread meat mixture over tortillas, top with black beans and 1 cup of cheese.  Arrange remaining tortillas over the 'enchiladas' to cover.  Top with 1 cup of enchilada sauce; top with remaining cheese.
Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees about 15 minutes or until hot.

Cut into enchilada sized pieces and serve.

 Serves: 8-10


 

ENCHILADA SOUP
I didn't take a picture of this, but it is what I made with my leftover enchilada sauce. 

1 cup Best Ever Enchilada Sauce
3 cups beef broth
1 -2 cups beef or chicken, cooked
1 onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans
1 can corn

Add all ingredients in sauce pot ; simmer about 10 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, etc.
You can add or subtract ingredients to suit your personal taste.

Servings:  4-5



4 comments:

9peasMom said...

I cheat on my enchiladas too and am always looking for a better recipe than what I have - I love this and if my family actually allows for leftover sauce, I'll try the soup too!

karentrina said...

I can't get all the sauce to fit in my pan. But this sauce is so good, my kids will just eat it from the pan if I don't hide it for later!

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen -

I plan to make the enchilada soup. If you like it, it is good.

Kay

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen -
Love your "smarts" you gotta know it all.

Kay

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