Sunday, December 21, 2008

Enchiladas- Tejas Style


I took the original pan to a party today, and all that was left was reminents in the fridge of its existence...so I created little mini's for you too see...

Texas Tex-Mex restaurants have many toppings for enchiladas, and the most famous being Cheese Enchiladas with Chili Con Carne. My favorite was always a sour cream cheese sauce that was poured over the top of a corn tortilla filled with shredded cooked chicken. Then one day I discovered Salsa Verde was a nice addition...another blog...Ranchero sauce is mostly what is offered on top of enchiladas where I live today...

This was an easy dish to throw together (a day ahead if needed) for dinner, and with leftovers for another day when my kids were little. Visiting my son (I promise to stop talking about this one day) I decided to see if any of the restaurants there or up North had my childhood version...No, and they had never heard of it either???

Cheese Enchiladas

Corn Tortillas (large package)- tear them into halves for putting up against the sides of the pan as you go around, and one for the middle...layer this and the rest!
Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese- 2 lbs if you like cheese
Sauted Onions- Mix with cheese

Chili Con Carne- Topping

Basically it is just your favorite chili recipe, and mine was simple this time...grass feed beef from a whole foods market...brown, and add one can of diced organic tomatoes with chilies.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb of chicken- take all ingredients and stew until falls apart
1 can of organic diced tomatoes with chilies (I also used 1/2 diced with adobo)
2 Cups of chicken stock

Layer-

tortillas
shredded chicken
sour cream (optional)
cheese
spoon chicken broth mixture over each layer to moisten
repeat; until last layer...spread sour cream and sprinkle cheese and cover with foil

Bake 375 degrees for 25 minutes (just heated through)

Sour Cream Sauce


1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soup from chicken

Over low heat mix until well blended, adding more cream if too thick or reverse.

If you want to have fun and notice my chicken portion is made with one of my new cookie cutters...and is in the shape of a snowflake!

NOTE: According to US Nutritional facts and the Surgeon General we over indulge when we eat, and this might really be pretty close to what portion size we should be eating at meals...would this be enough for you?

I know I would go back for another...