HELP!! Need Beef Enchilada recipe QUICK!!
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SMG · 09-03-2002, 05:44 PM

Anybody have a good one? I'm wanting to make them tonight and I've only tried once......... [img]graemlins/dizzy.gif[/img] not a good thing! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Bert & Sully · 09-03-2002, 05:51 PM

LAYERED ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Here's a hearty and satisfying "Mexican lasagna" that comes together quickly.
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 jalapeño chili, chopped

12 5- to 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas
1 15-ounce can chili beans
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 14 1/2-ounce cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sauté beef and onion in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Mix in chili powder and jalapeño and sauté 5 minutes. Season mixture with salt and pepper.

Overlap 6 tortillas on bottom of prepared dish, covering completely. Spoon beef mixture, then beans evenly over tortillas. Cover with remaining 6 tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over. Pour tomatoes with their juices over cheese. Bake until casserole is heated through and bubbling at edges, about 1 hour.

Shonnie I found another "quicker" recipe and emailed it to you.

[ 09-03-2002, 05:58 PM: Message edited by: Bert & Sully ]

SMG · 09-03-2002, 05:58 PM

Thanks Elaine that sounds yummy!! [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] I'll have to save that one......I don't have any chili beans. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

September · 09-03-2002, 06:00 PM

I've made enchaladas quite a bit...I'll give you some variations based on fat/health content.

Sauce:
You can buy enchalada sauce, but I find it to be too high in sodium. Basically, all enchalada sauce is is watered down tomato sauce with garlic & a lot of cumin (to taste). I start by sauteing garlic in a little oil (olive oil spray works, as well) until soft, but not brown. Add tomato sauce and water (one part sauce to one and a half parts water), as well as cumin (I like food spicy, so I usually use around 1 1/2-2 Tablespoons of cumin per pint of sauce). Simmer on the stove while you're assembling other ingredients.

Filling:
you can use fajita beef, but generally, for enchaladas, ground beef is easier. Brown meat, remove from heat and drain. In pan saute onions (chopped, but not too finely) as well as coarsely chopped green pepper and a little more garlic. When soft, return the beef to the pan and season with a little salt & freshly ground pepper.

Tortillas:
Traditional enchaladas are made by frying the corn tortillas, and when hot spooning in filling and rolling. I usually opt to just steam them a little to soften them up (& avoid the extra oil)...I wrap a few at a time in a damp paper towel and put in microwave for 5-10 seconds. Its important to work with only a few tortillas at a time because they harden up as they cool. Take a warm tortilla on your work surface. I like to spread a little sour cream on the inside, then a little cheese in a line down the middle, then some of the filling (maybe two tablespoons...if they're overfull they'll split and become a mess. Prepare your pan by spreading a thin coating of sauce on bottom of pan, then place enchaladas in a row seam side down. Once they're all done, pour sauce over top and top with lots of cheese. Bake @ 375 for about 15 minutes covered with foil, then another 15-20 minutes to brown & get all bubbly. Everything is already cooked, so the oven is just to melt everything and get hot.

Serve with rice, cornbread, a big bowl of tortilla chips & salsa and a pitcher of margaritas or sangria (let me know if you want a recipe for that).

Another filling option is black bean enchaladas. Same idea with the garlic, peppers & onions. Add one can of black beans, drained & rinsed, with one half of beans slightly mashed. Fold sauteed vegetables & beans together & season with salt, pepper & a little ceyanne pepper.

Good luck!!