The following is a very easy enchilada recipe I have been using for a while. Just about everyone has eaten enchiladas at some point. And if you come from a Hispanic household like I do then chances are you have eaten enough to know what they are. There are perhaps an infinite number of possibilities when it comes to cooking enchiladas but there are always two main ingredients. Cheese and tortillas. Some people like to add beef, chicken or pork. While others just stick to plain cheese and put more emphasis on the type of sauce they use. There is no right or wrong way to prepare enchiladas. Like most things, the final result is solely dependent on the individual.

Let’s get right down to the basic ingredients you will need.

1) Corn tortillas

2) Shredded cheese (lots of it!)

3) Enchilada sauce (you can make your own but the canned sauce is less damaging on your wallet.)

4) Onion (optional but does add flavor.)

5) Jalapenos (also optional but adds a nice kick.)

6) Black olives (optional)

7) Tomatoes (optional)

8) Cooking oil (vegetable oil works great but you can substitute it with any other cooking oil.)

Once you have all your ingredients laid out you will then need a medium to large skillet or pan. Fill the pan with a decent amount of cooking oil and set on stove at medium heat. You just need enough oil to soften the tortillas. Once the oil in the pan is hot enough go ahead and place one or two corn tortillas in the pan. Make sure both sides of each tortilla spend a few seconds in the oil. Do not leave the tortillas in the pan for more than a minute or else they will become crispy. Please exercise caution when near the hot oil.

Repeat this step until you feel you have a sufficient amount of softened corn tortillas. Allow them to cool off on a large plate lined with paper towels.

While you wait for the tortillas to cool you may go ahead and chop up the necessary vegetables you wish to add. You can cut them in any manner you wish. Also beware when cutting any onion or jalapeno. Do not rub your eyes or face too much while handling them. It is best to wash your hands right after chopping them all up.

Next, you will need another large dish to place all of the enchiladas into. A standard casserole or lasagna dish works great. As well as anything long and rectangular.

Open the can(s) of enchilada sauce with a can opener and set aside. The tortillas should be cool enough now to handle them, if not then wait a few more minutes.

Carefully pick up a tortilla and place a handful of shredded cheese in its center. You may want to place each one directly in the rectangular dish or on a separate plate. After placing a good amount of cheese and/or vegetables in the center of the tortilla you will need to roll them up. Do not roll too tightly, just tight enough so that the contents don’t spill out much. Think of them as mini burritos.

Once you have each rolled tortilla placed in the dish you can go ahead and pour the enchilada sauce on top of them. Depending on how many rolled tortillas there are you may need to add a second or third layer of enchilada sauce. After pouring the sauce on top you may want to generously sprinkle on a few more handfuls of shredded cheese.

All that remains is to place them in the oven at 300-375 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly based on the type of oven you have. It usually takes no longer than five minutes for the cheese and sauce to melt and mesh together. You can preheat the oven if you wish but it is not necessary.

After a maximum of 7 minutes take dish out of oven while wearing oven mitts or some kind of thick kitchen rag/cloth. The cheese should be thoroughly melted and the sauce nice and bubbling. (Do not worry if sauce is not bubbling, it is not a bad sign. Different sauces react differently when heated.)

There you have it! An inexpensive meal that is VERY easy to make and has the potential to feed a family of 5! So pull up a chair and grab your fork!

ENJOY!

BIEN PROBECHO!