Enchiladas

I have enchiladas on our meal plan this week but we all know there are soooo many variations of enchiladas. Here are some I think are noteworthy. At the bottom is a link to a homemade enchilada sauce. Yummy. :)

Beef Enchiladas
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (do this with gloves!!!)
1 can refried beans (16oz)
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)
1 tsp cumin
8 flour tortillas
1 can enchilada sauce (20oz)
1 cup shredded cheddar

Brown ground beef, onion, jalapenos. Drain. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, and cumin. Simmer 15 min.
Soften tortillas in microwave at 30 sec intervals.
Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 9 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with beef mix and roll putting the seam down in the dish. Cover with the rest of the enchilada sauce Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30-35 min until hot and bubbly.

*this dish freezes well! To freeze: before baking put the shredded cheese in a seperate zip-loc. Wrap enchiladas and freeze together. Thaw overnight in a fridge. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30-35 min until hot and bubbly.

Enchiladas Verde
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 can chicken broth
2 cans green chili sauce (1 8oz and 1 15oz)
1 can diced green chilies
1 can salsa verde
2 cups monteray jack, shredded
1 cup onion, chopped
1 package tortillas

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken in a skillet, then cover with broth and water to cover. Boil until chicken is cooked through and can be shredded.
Mix the onion and cheese together. Pour the 8oz chili sauce in a 9 x 9 pan.
Fill tortillas with chicken, cheese (save half the cheese mix), diced green chilis, and green chili sauce. Roll and place seam side down.
Pour remaining greem chilli sauce over and salsa verde. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min until hot and bubbly.

*could substitue pepper jack for an extra kick.

Enchiladas Blanco
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thights (cooked in the same way as the above recipe)
1 can green chilis
1 package cream cheese (I use fat free)
2 Tbl sour cream (I use light)
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 package tortillas
1 1/2 cup monteray jack cheese (or pepperjack)
2 cups heavy cream
3 garlic cloves crushed

Combine cooked chicken, drained green chilies, softened cream cheese, sour cream, and spinach together.
Heat the heavy cream and crushed garlic gently until it reaches a simmer. Remove the garlic. Add 1/2-1 cup of cream to the bottom of a 9 x 9 pan. Take the cream off the heat. Add shredded cheese to hot cream and stir to melt.
Microwave tortillas until soft and pliable (30 sec intervals). Fill tortillas with chicken mix and place in the pan seam side down. Cover with white sauce. Cook at 350 for 20 min until hot throughout and bubbly.
Garnish with cilantro and chopped black olives.

*I've wanted to add roasted garlic to this dish but haven't yet. Let me know if anyone tries this and how it turns out.


Homemade Enchilada Sauce