South of the Border

I could eat Mexican food EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

Give me Hacienda.

Give me El Camino Real.

Give me Taco Bell even.

Or, I'll make it myself.

 Its the go to meal when I can't think of something for a night.

Tacos.  Sure.

Enchiladas.  Even better.

Taco Salad.  Brent's favorite.

Tonight...chicken enchiladas with homemade salsa and chips (not homemade, but Tostitos makes cantina style thin chips, and they are TO DIE FOR.

I got home from picking up Evan after football equipment turn-in, and got ready to start making enchiladas, only to discover I was out of enchilada sauce.

Gulp.

Race to Pinterest I did to find a recipe for enchilada sauce.  Turns out, there are quite a few varieties, but I went with the one I had all the ingredients for.  It turned out pretty good, so I'll share...

Homemade enchilada sauce:
1T vegetable oil
2T flour
2T chili powder
2 c water
3 oz. tomato paste
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3/4 t salt

Mix the oil, flour and chili powder in a saucepan over med. until bubbly. Add the rest of the ingredients and still well to mix.  Stir until thickened a little, then remove from heat and use.

Chicken enchiladas:
10-12 tortillas (any kind, corn or flour, fajita size or regular)
2 cans chicken, or 3 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
2 c shredded cheese (colby or mexican)
enchilada sauce (1 jar, or above recipe)

Pour half the jar (or 1/2 above recipe) into bottom of 9x13 pan, and spread all over the bottom.  Mix chicken and cheese in large bowl, and then spoon into tortillas, roll up, and place seam side down on top of enchilada sauce in pan.  Repeat until all the chicken/cheese mixture is used up.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce and some  cheese.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Top with whatever you like, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, lettuce, onions, peppers, etc.

Homemade Salsa (like Hacienda restaurant)
1 28 oz. can tomatoes (diced or halved, doesn't matter), drained
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
5-6 cut up slices of jalapenos (I used the kind in a jar already sliced), and 1T juice
1t sugar
Blend everything together in blender until slightly creamy, but not pulverized. 
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips

Ah, this meal is GOOD.  Evan LOVES enchiladas and gets super excited when I put it on the weekly menu.  He eats his totally plain with no toppings, the rest of us add LOTS.

Its' an easy weeknight meal to make.  Go make yourself some!