Enchiladas

Christmas and New Year's are over and it's time to get back to normal (if there is such a thing) in Grammy's Kitchen.  John and I both wanted something spicy a couple nights ago so I pulled out the Enchilada recipe and used some rotisserie chicken that had been thrown into the freezer before Christmas.  It was so good, just what we wanted.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and it satisfies your hunger for something spicy, of course, you can tame it down or spice it up some more.

                                       ENCHILADAS

Sauce:

2 tablespoons minced onion (can be dried)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon flour

2   8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2-4 teaspoons chili powder (to taste, I go for the 4 and spicy)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tobasco Sauce (to taste)

1 cup water

Cook onion and garlic in oil to soften.  Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients being careful to whisk it well and not get lumps.  Simmer until med. thick. You can add more water if you like a thinner sauce.

Filling:

1 pound ground beef, crumbled and browned 

1  4 oz. can Ortega chiles, drained

2-3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

12 corn tortillas (you can use flour if you prefer)

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Add the chiles and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce to the cooked meat.

Use a small amount of oil in fry pan and lightly fry each tortilla to make them pliable.  Dip tortillas into sauce and fill each tortilla with the meat mixture and a little cheese and whatever other fillings you like (onions, olives, etc.)  Roll up.  Arrange in Pam sprayed baking dish or on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Pour on remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese.  Sprinkle green onions on top and heat in oven at 375 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Now sprinkle with the fresh cilantro.  I serve this with a green salad or sometimes with refried beans or Mexican rice.  This recipe freezes beautifully!

Serves 4-6

Variation:

Fill with chopped cooked chicken, turkey or just cheese and Ortega chiles.  I really like to use the rotisserie chickens from the grocery store and leftover turkey is terrific.