About these ads
Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘enchiladas’

Quick and Easy Stacked Enchiladas

Posted in Beef, Casseroles, Cooking Tips, Dinner, Entertaining, Food Musings, Mexican, Poultry, Quick and Easy Weeknight meals, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 13, 2013 | 3 Comments »

Why roll your enchiladas when they are so much easier to stack?

Enchiladas (2)

I have to admit, I never roll enchiladas anymore.  They always end up being cut into by guests like a casserole anyway and are a hassle to roll.  This easy method of stacking works well and looks amazing for your guests.  I have several recipes I use…sometimes by scratch and sometimes just adding to canned Enchilada sauce.

If you want a really easy recipe, just use a baked chicken from your grocery store and add some sauteed onions (you must sautee the onion) and the Enchilada Sauce and Cheese.  By stacking the enchiladas you’re saving time and have an instant any night meal to make in 30 minutes or less!

But, if you want to spice it up a bit and add tasty seasoned ground beef, then try the recipe below.  I tend to make my sauce very spicy but you can just use the regular enchilada sauce if you’re cooking for kids or those who don’t want heart burn.

Next time I plan to stack my Enchiladas in a tasty Sour Cream sauce and chicken similar to the my popular Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

Enjoy!

Stacked Enchiladas

Serves 8, reduce ingredients by half for dinner for two plus leftovers.

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 lbs ground beef (lean)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • Salt, cumin and chili powder to taste (or taco seasoning)
  • 1 can (28 oz.) red chile sauce, (same as Enchilada Sauce) mild

Optional Add:

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons  finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (*see note)
  • 2 tablespoons dark chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup water (if needed)
  • 12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
  • 1 lb shredded Mexican style cheese (I like the 4 kinds mixed)

For Garnish

  • Sliced green onion

You will need 4 pie pans

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook onion with olive oil, stirring often until softened.  Add burger meat and cook until done.  I like to add salt, cumin, and chili powder to taste here too.

In a large bowl mix red chile sauce through water (if water is needed – you want a thin sauce).  Ladle some of the blended sauce into the 4 pie pans.  Put most of the rest into a fifth pie pan or deep plate

To make enchilada stacks, dip 1 tortilla in chile sauce in the deep plate to coat on both sides. Place in a pie pan. Repeat with two other tortillas on other pans. Spread each tortilla evenly with a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture, then with 1/4 cup cheese and a dollop of sauce. Repeat layering with 3 more tortillas, dipping them in sauce, then adding ground beef mixture and cheese to make 3 stacks of 3 layers. (You’ll use most of the meat but not all the cheese or sauce.)  Dip the last 3 tortillas in sauce, place each, on stack, and sprinkle with some sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake enchiladas until hot in the center and cheese bubbles on top, 15-20  minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a salad or slaw.   Offer remaining chile sauce with a ladle.

 

*Note – When opening a new can of chipotle peppers I process all of it in a food processor.  Then divide it into small baggies and keep in your freezer.  This way I don’t waste the leftovers and am able to use it whenever I need!

About these ads

Read Full Post »

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Sour Creme

Posted in Cooking Tips, Dinner, Entertaining, Mexican, Poultry, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on October 17, 2011 | 19 Comments »

This newer version of my tasty Enchilada Casserole tastes even better with tangy Tomatillos!

This Mexican style casserole is always a crowd favorite and probably the recipe I prepare that is most requested.  I’ve made it so often I don’t even use the recipe anymore but did an update today so thought I’d share the newest version of the recipe with you.

sour cream chicken enchilada casserole

Recently I asked my husband Greg what style of food he prefer that I focus on when trying new dishes – Mexican or Italian.  He quickly and emphatically stated “Mexican” so I’ve been working on some new Mexican recipes and on updating some dishes too.

For this newer version of the casserole I’ve skipped the step of warming the tortillas in oil and added a large can of tomatillos for tanginess and more fiber.  A tomatillo is a green fruit that is most often used in Salsa Verde.  I like the canned version for cooked dishes.  After draining the fruit I chopped it up and used the juice in the sour cream mixture too.

The Tomatillos add tasty flavor to the dish and I found that the oil that I used before was not really needed.  The sour cream mixture give the tortillas plenty of moisture and their natural corn taste is, well, more corny and natural.

While this recipe can be served as rolled enchiladas, I tend to like the casserole style better as it’s easier to prepare and to dish out at a party.

Note:  I find that, like many great casseroles, this dish is better the next day.  You may want to prepare and cook it the day before, refrigerate it, and then warm it up the next day.

If you’re preparing this dish for two it freezes just fine.  Just wait for it to cool and cut it into the size you want.  Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags, taking care to squeezed as much air out of the bag as possible.  When you need a tasty dinner, just pull it out of the freezer and defrost, then warm up in the microwave.  

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Sour Creme sour cream chicken enchilada casserole 

  • 1 baked diced chicken meat from a whole rotisserie chicken,
  • 1 16 oz sour crème
  • 4-6 cups package mixed cheddar and jack cheese – grated
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 2 cans diced green chilies (4oz)
  • 1 28 ounce can tomatillos – drained and diced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, or 1 tablespoon dried
  • 2 cans crème of chicken soup
  • 18-24 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4s
  • 3 diced green onions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Shred chicken
  3. Spray a large casserole dish or 2 medium ones with Pam.
  4. Mix sour crème, ½ of cheese, onion, chicken soup, green chilies, tomatillos, cumin and oregano in a bowl.  If the mixture seems too thick stir in some chicken stock.  Its should have a creamy consistency.  Add salt to taste
  5. Combine ½ of sour crème mixture with shredded chicken
  6. Spoon a little of the remaining sour crème mixture on bottom of a baking dish.
  7. Layer ¼ of the tortillas in the dish, then spoon in chicken and sour crème mixture, then ¼ of the cheese.  Continue layering until the last layer of tortillas.
  8. Top the last layer of tortillas with the remaining sour crème mixture and cheese.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes
  10. Top with green onions and let stand for 10 minutes or so.

Read Full Post »

Stacked Enchiladas Con Amor (With Love)

Posted in Beef, Cooking Tips, Dinner, Entertaining, Food Musings, Mexican, Recipes, Salads, tagged , , , , , , , on September 21, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Preparada con Amor

“About 40 ingredients and prepared with love” said the chef when I asked for the ingredients in his incredible Mole Enchiladas.

The chef’s comment propelled me to continue to perfect my own Enchiladas and, after years of trying to come up with just the right recipe for Enchiladas, I think I finally hit the ultimate balance…at least the ultimate balance for Greg and me.

The ultimate Enchilada sauce?  Well, for us its dark red with a hint of sweetness and full forward spices.  Sounds a bit like a description of wine doesn’t it?  It’s delicious with this perfect blend of ingredients.

The ultimate preparation?  I love these stacked enchiladas as they’re enjoyable to eat, look great on a plate and are easier to prepare than the rolled version.  You use more filling and less tortilla…plus you don’t have to prepare the tortillas in warm oil to insure they don’t crack (less calories). I plan to prepare my Sour Cream Enchiladas stacked this way soon.  I do have to confess though that Greg still likes them better rolled.

The most important element…”con amor” prepare them with love.  I kept his comment in mind as I recently worked on this dish.  It’s always important to do what you love and love what you’re doing and guess what?  The results are ultimately more successful that way!

I didn’t use 40 ingredients like the Mexican Chef but if you add the salad it’s coming close.  I do have to say that nuts are essential in this recipe so apologize ahead of time to my friends with allergies.  You can substitute the pecans with other nuts…just make sure they’re toasted ahead of time.  And, you can try the recipe without nuts but I’m happy to say I’m leaving them in.

Stacked Enchiladas Con Amor

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 lbs ground beef (lean)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • Salt, cumin and chili powder to taste
  • 1 can (28 oz.) red chile sauce, (same as Enchilada Sauce) mild
  • 1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries or raisins
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons  finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (*see note)
  • 1 tablespoon firmly packed  brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dark chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup water
  • 12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
  • 1 lb shredded Mexican style cheese (I like the 4 kinds mixed)

For Salad

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup mayo mixed with 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper (*see note)
  • Colored bell peppers – chopped
  • 5 to 6 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 chopped green apple

For Garnish

  • Sliced green onion
  • Extra pecans

You will need 4 pie pans

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook onion with canola oil, stirring often until softened.  Add burger meat and cook until done, breaking up while it cooks.  I like to add salt, cumin, and chili powder to taste here too.

2. In a large food processor mix red chile sauce through water until the pecans and cherries are blended well.  Taste the sauce and adjust as needed for heat and flavor.  Pour about half the blended sauce into the first of 4 pie pans and the rest into a bowl with a large spoon.

3. Prepare remaining 3 pie pans with non stick spray and a scoop of sauce on the bottom.  To make enchilada stacks, dip 1 tortilla in chile sauce in the first pie pan to coat on both sides. Place in a pie pan. Repeat with two other tortillas on other pans. Spread each tortilla evenly with a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture, then with 1/4 cup cheese and a dollop of sauce. Repeat layering with 3 more tortillas in each pie pan, dipping them in sauce, then adding ground beef mixture and cheese to make 3 stacks of 3 layers. (You’ll use most of the meat but not all the cheese or sauce.) Dip the last 3 tortillas in sauce, place each, on a stack, and sprinkle with some sauce and remaining cheese.

4. Bake enchiladas until hot in the center and cheese bubbles on top, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. To make the salad, stir together all ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Top each enchilada with a small mound of salad and cut in thirds or quarters to serve. Offer with remaining salad and chile sauce to add to taste.

As usual with these types of baked dishes…they’re usually better the next day.  So you might want to make the enchiladas through step 4 and reheat the next day.

*Note – When opening a new can of chipotle peppers I process all of it in a food processor.  Then divide it into small baggies and keep in your freezer.  This way I don’t waste the leftovers and am able to use it whenever I need!

Read Full Post »

Red Chile Enchiladas, Street-Style

Posted in Dinner, Entertaining, Mexican, Recipes, tagged , , , on November 29, 2009 | 3 Comments »

I’ve prepared many versions of enchiladas – red, sour crème, stacked, casserole style, chicken, beef, and ground beef.  I’ve made them using canned sauce, doctoring canned sauce and homemade sauce from ground dried chilies.  By far though, the most unusual enchiladas I’ve made have been the Street Style Enchiladas from a Rick Bayless recipe.

red chile enchilada finished

When most of us think enchiladas we tend to think rolled tortillas with meat inside and a red sauce and cheese on the outside.  But the word “enchilada” simply means “in chile” and according to Chef Bayless, in Mexico, the most beloved version is actually a street snack: a corn tortilla dipped in chile sauce.

My husband Greg is rarely truly satisfied with red enchiladas.  He wants them dark, saucy but not too saucy and with ground beef.  Recently I twittered Rick Bayless (who is one of my fave chefs as I describe in “Channeling Rick Bayless”  ) and asked him what his favorite recipe was for enchiladas.  He replied that, hands down, it was the Red Chile Enchiladas, Street-Style from his Mexico, One Plate at a Time Cookbook.  These Enchiladas are unusual in that they’re dipped in sauce and then fried.  process 1The meat and other ingredients are placed on top of the tortilla and everything is topped with lettuce.  This was an enticing idea and a challenge that I decided to take.

Overall the experience was fun and the dish was definitely tasty.  I substituted chicken with ground beef but other than that pretty much followed his recipe.  Next time I plan to make the sauce a little thinner so it goes further and the finished product is saucier.

The best part was…Greg liked them, he really liked them.  He still hasn’t said they’re his favorite though!

 

Red Chile Enchiladas, Street-Style

red chile enchilada finished

 

 

 

Inspired by Mexico One Plate at a Time – Rick Bayless

  • 5 medium (2 ½ ounces total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Salt
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • Cumin to taste
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • About ½ cup vegetable oil or lard
  • ½ cup grated Mexican style cheese
  • 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4 cups sliced romaine lettuce

Heat a heavy skillet over medium.  Tear the chiles into flat pieces, then toast them a few at a time.  Press the chile pieces flat until they are aromatic and have lightened in color underneath, about 10 seconds.  Place in a bowl, cover with water, lay a small plate on the chiles to keep them submerged and soak for 20 minutes to rehydrate.

While the chiles are soaking cook the ground beef, cumin and yellow onion until cooked through.  Drain the meat mixture and cook awhile longer to brown.  Taste and add salt as needed. Keep warm.  ground beef

Use a pair of tongs transfer the rehydrated chiles to a food processor.  Measure 1 ½ cups of the soaking liquid and add it to the chiles along with the garlic.  Blend to a smooth puree, and then push through a medium mesh strainer into a pie plate.  The consistency should be like that of canned tomato sauce.  Taste and season as needed with salt.  puree chiles

Set out the cheese and sliced onion in small bowls.  In another bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with the vinegar and set aside.

Heat the oven to 350°.  Place the sauce and tortillas near the stove, with a baking sheet beside them.  Dip the tortillas in the sauce.  Set a small (8 inch) skillet (preferably non stick) over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil or lard. process 1 Let it sear and sizzle for about 20 seconds, then use a small spatula to flip it over.  Sear the other side for 20 seconds.  Transfer to a baking sheet, folding it in half.  Continue dipping and frying the remaining tortillas, wiping out the pan occasionally and then heating another tablespoon of oil or lard to fry a new batch.  Arrange the fried, folded tortillas in groups of three, overlapping them.  Pop them into the oven to heat through, about 5 minutes.  process 3

Divide the warm enchiladas among four dinner plates and sprinkle liberally with the cheese.  Top with sliced onion, ground beef and a generous portion of the dressed romaine.

Read Full Post »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 2,664 other followers