February 14, 2011

American Enchiladas

I was looking at my recipe page, and noticed that it's woefully imbalanced, as in mostly deserts! So here is a favorite, one dish main course that is tasty and easy to make.

It's enchiladas, but these are definitely not authentic Mexican. I found the recipe when I lived in Texas, but it doesn't even qualify as Tex-Mex. However, even folks who don't care for Mexican food usually like this. The directions here are for a full recipe. The photos show only a half batch, because that suits the two of us just fine.

The original recipe was called "Turkey Enchiladas," because it called for ground turkey. Nowadays I use whatever I have on hand, which can also mean loads of vegetables for a vegetarian version (portobello mushroom enchiladas are tasty). Other modifications are noted below.


American Enchiladas

1 pound ground meat (I used grass fed ground pork)
1 small onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning (I used fajita marinade)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 small carton sour cream (I used yogurt in this batch)
1/2 soup can milk (if soup in concentrated. Mine wasn't, so I omitted it)
flour tortillas (about 10 small or 6 large)
2 cups grated cheese (we like sharp cheddar)
salsa or picante sauce, hot or mild according to taste


Brown ground meat and onion in a bit of olive oil. Add taco seasoning or a swig of fajita marinade.


While the meat is browning, mix the sauce: mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, and salsa to taste. In the above photo I'm substituting yogurt in place of the sour cream and milk. We like our yogurt liquidy for cereal, so mine has been well stirred to get that consistency.


Fill each tortilla with some browned meat and a generous sprinkle of cheese. Add a spoonful or two of sauce, roll, and place in an 8x12 inch baking dish (for a full recipe).


There should be plenty of leftover sauce to pour over all. I use a scraper to work the sauce in between all the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake at 400 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly.


This is a great make-ahead recipe to pop in the oven right before dinner. This allows the tortillas to absorb some of the sauce making them soft and yummy. Alternatively, the dish can be covered with foil before baking.

We love these with salad and/or Spanish rice on the side.

American Enchiladas © February 2011 by Leigh at http://my5acredream.blogspot.com/

18 comments:

Kids and Canning Jars said...

YUM! I love how you put it....
"swig" I do not drink but, I do cook....funny

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

I canned enchilada sauce last summer and have not used one of them. You just gave me the push I needed to whip up a batch. They look very good.

Julie said...

Its 7:00am and you have just made me very hungry! Those look so easy and yummy!

Happy Valentines Day!

Leigh said...

Melissa, LOL. I hadn't thought of "swig" as being specifically that kind of drinking term. Maybe "glug" would have been a more accurate term. *grin

Jane, I hadn't thought of canning enchilada sauce. Good idea. That would be a handy convenience food to have around.

Julie, easy is key! Happy Valentines Day to you too.

Anonymous said...

Now I'm getting a craving! I never thought of cream of mushroom and enchiladas combined, but they do look yummy! :)

bspinner said...

Yumm!!!!!! I can't wait to try these!!!

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

I love enchiladas! Thank you for sharing your recipe!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you have a wonderful day, and if you want some dessert please stop by!

Mary

Nina said...

We don't have much in the way of Mexican food around here - no restaurants and only just starting to get more than taco shells and spice on the store shelves. I've little experience with anything other than a mainstream taco with a shell from a yellow box. Does the sauce make the flour tortillas soggy? I don't actually purchase tinned soups anymore, but the recipe looks interesting

Mama Pea said...

Gosh, those look good. What time did you say dinner was? I'll bring a salad. And bottle of wine.

Lynda said...

EXCUSE ME! When is having more desert recipes than any others a no-no?....that's a yes-yes in my book...and yours are so yummy... I vote to not be so balanced! But I will admit the enchilada recipe looks awesome and I'm giving it a try. Like Jane I canned up a bunch of enchilada sauce and need to start using it up before the tomatoes get ripe this season.

Leigh said...

Rain, as I said, they're far from authentic, LOL. I don't buy Campbell's type soups anymore, but have found a few organic brands that make a cream of mushroom soup. It's a bit different, better actually, and works well in any recipe I need cream of mushroom soup for.

Barb, they are good, if I do say so!

Mary, Happy Valentine's Day to you too! These aren't your typical enchiladas, but they are pretty good. :)

Nina, I don't buy Campbell's type soups anymore. I have found some organic brands that are pretty good, though a bit expensive. I do like cream of mushroom soup for several recipes though, so when I find a bargain for the organic type, I stock up!

I wouldn't call the tortillas soggy, rather, moist. Sometimes they are a bit dried out if not allowed to sit in the sauce, and I don't care for that. I suspect though, that this is a matter of preference.

Mama Pea, dinner's at six. Come on down!

Lynda, LOL. You're a woman after my own heart. :)

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Hi Leigh! I hope you enjoy the Sarabeth cookbook, I love it! Thank you for stopping by my blog and for your lovely comments!

Mary

DEEP END OF THE LOOM said...

Oh boy! that looks great, I must try these out.

Kelle at The Never Done Farm said...

Hello,
Just found your blog via another. Love the quote you have on your side bar from Carla Emery. I had the pleasure of getting to know her while working on editing her 10th and final edition of The Encyclopedia of Country Living. She and her husband even stayed with us when she came through and also put on a seminar in our local town while here.
Anyway her quote is the absolute truth!

Your recipe looks delicious, gonna print it off and give it a try, thanks for sharing it!

We'll be back, enjoyed your blog very much.
Blessings from,
The Never Done Farm

Leigh said...

Mary, oh yes. The Sarabeth cookbook is a gem. I must say that I appreciate your visits and your comments as well.

Bety, they're nothing as authentic as your recipes, but they are tasty!

Kelle, welcome and thank you so much for your kind comment. What an honor to have known Carla. Her book is one of my standard go-tos! I do hope you enjoy the recipe. Now I'm off to visit your blog (and I love the name of your farm! That's how I feel about this place, LOL)

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - Kelle's comment about your quote by Carla Emery causes me to ask . . . did Carla pass away in the last few years? If so, do you know any of the circumstances? She couldn't have been that old. We have the very first edition of her book which she printed off on a mimeograph machine. A real treasure!

Leigh said...

Mama Pea, yes, Carla passed away in 2005. I don't know much of the details, but understand it was from complications of a heart attack. She was 66. :( Your mimeograph copy truly is a treasure!

luckybunny said...

Yummy! I love enchiladas, we make them a bunch of ways, this is a great recipe.