Super Yummy Super Easy Beef Enchiladas

I tend to be snobby about food without being one of those yuppie foodie types that thrive on tiny portions and strange ingredients.  I grew up on basic mid-western meat and potato recipes and alot of Hamburger Helper. We did tacos and enchiladas too and we grilled burgers in the backyard.  I mean, I did grow up in Southern California.  However, it was still super basic stuff without alot of creativity.  If we had Chinese Food, it was take out from a restaurant.  We never attempted Indian food either.  Mostly it was Mexican, basic Italian food like spaghetti with sauce from a dry mix, and standard American food.  I spent several years breaking myself out of that habit after moving away from home.  Andrew and I moved in with the girl that had been my best friend since Junior High.  She introduced me to Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole and Shepard's Pie.  They may sound common to alot of you, but we never had anything with curry in it when I was growing up and very rarely did we make one dish meals that weren't soups.

When I first glanced at this recipe, I started to turn my nose up at it, but the little part of me that can read a recipes and know without a doubt if it is worth the effort stopped me and made me reconsider.  It doesn't sound appealing on the surface.  It sounds like more of the quasi-nutritional, cheap meals that I grew up on.  However, the more I learn, experiment with food, and broaden my palate, the more I can look at recipes like this and believe that I can keep it simple and yet improve the quality of the ingredients.  I figure if something is tasty enough, then I will work hard at making it healthier and by healthier, I mean less processed of course.  :P  If I happen to make it healthier by way of less calories and fat, then all the better.  My goal is to actually cook real food with quality ingredients and keep it simple and delicious.

This recipe I found surfing the internet (a typical way you'll find that I "waste time").  I am so glad that my inner voice made me stop and try this recipe.  The flavor is incredible and its super super easy too.  So good, in fact, that I will spend the coming weeks and months trying to improve the quality of ingredients without losing the outstanding flavor. 

All that aside, its cheap, easy and feeds an army.  Kids will love it.  Non-discerning men will love it.  Its perfect for birthday parties and poker games and quick meals after soccer practices and music recitals.  I'm told that its even perfect for smaller families because its freezable.  I have some in the freezer now that I am leaving for my house-sitter while Andrew and I go back home to visit family.  I'll get a review from him, which will probably be one or two words (young men can be so difficult to make talk) and I will try the freezing thing again in the future.

Here are the ingredients for the Super Yummy Super Easy Beef Enchiladas:

1 lb ground beef

1 pkg taco seasoning

14.5 oz can cream of chicken soup

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg enchilada mix

8 oz can tomato sauce

10 burrito sized flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a small saucepan, follow the directions on the package of enchilada sauce. If you have a favorite enchilada sauce that is "already cooked" (an inside joke just for Andrew) then by all means, use that instead of the package mix and tomato sauce.  McCormick is the one I like best for now until I can talk my friends who own Enrique's in Long Beach, California to share their recipe for enchilada sauce.  Their cheese enchiladas are out of this world!  In the meantime, combine the sour cream, combine cream of chicken soup, taco seasoning and 2 c cheese in a medium/large bowl.

Cook the ground beef until crumbled and done.  Drain/discard grease.  Add the ground beef to the bowl and combine. 

Warm the tortillas in the microwave just long enough to be pliable, about 30 seconds.  Fill each tortilla with about  a 1/2 cup of beef/cheese mixture.  Fold each end over and roll into a burrito.  Place seam side down in two square or one 9x13 baking dishes coated with non-stick cooking spray.  Cover with the enchilada sauce and top with remaining cup of cheese.  

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Uncover the last 10 minutes.  Serve one with re-fried beans and/or Spanish rice.  I will post the freezing instructions later after I update the recipe and do some more testing.  For now, enjoy these incredible enchiladas exactly how they are.

Love and Laughter