Shelly's Recipe

SHREDDED BEEF AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS

Category: Casseroles - Beef

1 lb lean shredded beef from pot roast, beef brisket, top sirloin or other lean cut of beef
1 tsp garlic powder
Dash salt optional
1 (10 oz) pkg (12) white or yellow corn tortillas
Cooking spray
3/4 cup grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 5 green onions, thinly sliced

Sonoran Red Enchilada Sauce (follows)

Prepare enchilada sauce following recipe instructions and set aside.

To assemble enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350. Pour 2 cups of enchilada sauce into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Lightly spray a non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook each tortilla 30 to 60 seconds per side or until soft. Stack and cover cooked tortillas with a cloth towel to keep them from drying out. Do not overcook tortillas or they will become tough. Lightly re-spray skillet every 3 or 4 tortillas.

Adding tortillas to baking dish one at a time, lightly coat both sides in sauce. Place approximately 1/4 cup cheese, one tbsp chopped onion and 1/2 cup shredded beef in center of tortilla and roll up. Repeat process arranging enchiladas side by side, seam side down in baking dish. Add more sauce to baking dish as needed to coat tortillas. When dish becomes full, dip tortillas in pan of sauce and assemble enchiladas on top of the others in baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the remaining sauce over enchiladas, spreading evenly. Do not immerse, enchiladas will become soggy. Cover with foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

While enchiladas are baking; reheat sauce over medium, stirring frequently. Remove foil from enchiladas, top enchiladas with a little more sauce, sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with green onions. Return enchiladas to oven and bake uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sonoran Red Enchilada Sauce
5 cups water or chicken stock and water equaling 5 cups total liquid
3 oz tomato paste (1/2 a 6 oz can)
1/2 cup flour
2 to 3 cloves fresh pressed or minced garlic
2 tbsp chicken base or bouillon, (reduce if using stock)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
3 to 5 tbsp chile powder

Pour 3 cups cool or warm liquid (stock or water) into a 4 quart saucepan. Adding about a third of the flour at a time, rapidly whisk flour into liquid until smooth. Whisk remaining liquid and all remaining ingredients into slurry and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently until sauce comes to a low boil and begins to thicken. Reduce to low and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Adjust seasonings if necessary and remove from heat. Cover sauce and set aside until ready to use. As sauce cools it has a tendency to thicken and can be thinned with a little water or stock.