ENCHILADAS

Ingredients

2 doz Corn tortillas
1 lb Hamburger, (you may also use pork, lamb or turkey)
1 ea Onion, finely chopped
3 ea Cloves of garlic, or use more to your taste
4-5 cups Grated cheese, (I like a mix of cheeses. Try Muenster, cheddar, Swiss, etc.)
2 qts Enchilada sauce, see my enchilada sauce recipe
1-2 tsp Cumin powder, (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups oil
1 ea Casserole pan, about 9in. by 14in.

Directions

Place the meat in a pan on the stove with the onions, cumin, salt and pepper and stir over medium heat. When the meat starts to brown, add the garlic and continue cooking until there are no red spots in the meat and the onion is translucent. Place the meat it a wire strainer placed over a dish and drain all of the fat from the meat. Discard the fat and allow the meat to cool.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Dip the corn tortillas in the hot oil for just seconds until they are soft, but not hard or stiff. Then dip the tortilla in the enchilada sauce and lay the tortilla out flat on the work counter to add the filling. See Note 1 below.

Most people try to put too much filling in the tortilla and they are hard to roll up or they break. A little meat and cheese is plenty. The right amount is 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of meat and a little less cheese. Roll and placed them in a casserole pan, one next to the other in a row with the seam side down until the pan is filled. Put a little sauce and cheese over the top of the enchiladas in the pan and bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about forty minutes or until the center of the pan has bubbled up and is browned slightly.

Allow to set for about ten minutes before serving. Serve with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes and refried beans on the side. Serves 6 - 8.

Note 1:
This makes a really good enchilada, but it adds a lot of unneeded fat to your diet. If you don't want to dip in the oil, lightly heat the tortillas or bring them to room temperature until they are flexible, but not dry. Spray the warm tortillas on both sides lightly with non-stick spray, then dip them in the enchilada sauce.

For a recipe which uses less fat, try the enchilada casserole.

Please send comments to comments@acaciart.com