Beef Enchiladas

 Mom's Enchiladas

I think my mom got this recipe from the Napa Register; oops I may be dating myself newspapers are a little out of date! haha

Every once in a while, I find great recipes in the Newspaper. I found a blue-ribbon apple-pie recipe published in the Napa Register.  Living in the central valley I was lucky enough to see the soup recipe from a local restaurant "Wool Growers" in the local paper.  The Wool Growers is one of our favorite places to eat.  When we moved down to Delano my mom and Dad would visit a few times a year and Dad always wanted to go to the Wool Growers for dinner. Dad loved Basque food!  But that is another story and another recipe that I will definitely have to share.  We have quite a few family memories at that restaurant.

Back to Enchiladas... this makes from 12 to 18 enchiladas; it all depends on how big/small your tortillas are and how full you make then.   If you don't like olives, then omit them by all means.

Ingredients:

Gravy or Enchilada sauce

2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons chili powder
3 cups water (more may be added to achieve the constancy you want)

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 cloves minced garlic
1 spring chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can olives (whole or cut into smaller pieces)
1 -2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 Tablespoons oil
12-18 corn tortillas

Gravy:  Heat a skillet and add the garlic, sauté for a minute or two being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add flour to the hot oil stir for a minute, add chili powder, tomato sauce and water.  Stir until gravy become thick.  If the gravy is thick add a little water until you have achieved the desired thickness.  The sauce should be thick enough to cling to the tortilla; you don't want it runny.

In another pan brown the ground beef, add onion and garlic and sauté until tender.  Add the spices, tomato sauce and olives and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.  Add olives and 1 cup of the grated cheese stirring until combined.

In a skillet heat a little oil and palace a corn tortilla in the hot oil.  The goal is to make the tortillas soft but not stiff, so they are easy to roll or fold.  Lay the softened tortilla on a paper towel to drain excess oil.  It will take a little practice.

When your tortillas are soft dip them in the sauce to coat them on both sides.   Lay the tortillas in the casserole dish and spoon in filling in the center of the tortilla. Grab one end and fold toward the center, grab the opposite side and fold towards the center.  The two sides will overlap slightly in the middle.  Repeat the process by laying another tortilla next to the last one, fill, fold and continue until the meat is gone.  Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Bake until bubbly about 20 minutes.  Serve with red rice and refried beans.