Beef Enchiladas

This is the big one!  These are probably at least 30% of the reason I snagged my husband, and I’m pretty sure they’re about 50% of the reason his friends still come over to our house.  They have evolved over the years, but not by much.  This is one of the first recipes I ever learned to make, and it was taught/given to me by my very best friend’s sister (we used to think we were going to have a cooking business together, at least for one hot summer afternoon when we decided to make a pot of soup and put it into canning jars).  They are a wonder, they freeze great, make FANTASTIC leftovers, in fact, I would say they are even better the second day, and they travel really well, making them a great potluck contribution. 

On a dietary note, these can be made gluten free pretty easily by using corn tortillas and using a taco seasoning (or making your own) that does not contain gluten.  

What you see here are the ingredients to make three batches, one for today when our friends come over, one for leftovers next week, and one to take to a family friend who has been under the weather, which is why you are getting the aluminum pan special. The ingredients and directions are for one batch.  

• 1lb Ground Beef
• 1 15 oz. Can of Refried Beans
• 1 oz. Packet of Taco Seasoning
• 1 Packet of Spanish Rice Mix (use your favorite, I used Uncle Ben’s)
• 1 10oz Enchilada Sauce
• 2 cups Cheddar Cheese
• Corn or Flour Tortillas

Brown the ground beef and the onion in a pan big enough to accommodate the rice and beans down the line.  Once you’ve got the meat cooked, drain off the grease.

Add the Refried Beans, Taco Seasoning, and the Rice to the pan (see what I said about picking a pan that was big enough. . . I will never learn this lesson).  Mix well, let the mixture heat through, and then remove from heat.

Pour just enough enchilada sauce into your greased 9x13 pan to lightly coat the bottom.

Assemble your production line:  pan, tortilla shells, & meat.  Start stuffing and rolling, I usually just eyeball it, but since this is a huge batch, I want to make sure I’ve got an even amount so I’m using my trusty cookie scooper.

Once they’re in the pan, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over them, cover them with the cheese, and a light sprinkling of Garlic Salt or Seasoning Salt.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted. I like to let it go until the tortilla shells get just a little brown and crispy, but that is my preference, these are your enchiladas so do what you like. 

Serve with sour cream, salsa, avocado, etc.  

And there you have it; my masterpiece is now yours . . . use it wisely.