Cheese Enchiladas

I'm just going to hit the ground running with this post.  I made my own enchilada sauce! How cool is that?  The recipe called for dried ancho chilis and blending ingredients in a spice grinder, and I did it! I followed all the directions! Amazing!

Here are some unattractive photos some ingredients and the finished sauce.

Who the heck set up this nonsense? Oh yea, that would be me.

Check out that nice homemade red enchilada sauce!

Now things are looking good, right?  These enchiladas only have cheese and onion in them, but you could surely add meat or vegetables if you'd like.

Cheese Enchiladas

From Cook's Country Magazine

Ingredients
2 dried ancho chiles, seeded, stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 teasp dried oregano
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
2 c chicken broth
2 teasp white vinegar

12 corn tortillas, 6 inch
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 c Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 c cheddar cheese
1 onion, chopped fine
cilantro for garnish

1. Toast chiles and cumin in a 12 inch skillet until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Grind in spice grinder with garlic powder and oregano to a fine powder.
2. Heat oil in the same skillet.  Whisk in flour, salt and pepper, and spice mixture.  Cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color.  Slowly whisk in broth, reduce heat and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in vinegar and turn off heat.
3.  To assemble the enchiladas:  Preheat oven to 450. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil.  Stack on a plate, cover with a damp dish towel, and microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute.
4. Spread 1/2 sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish.  Place about 1/4 cup of cheese and 1 tbsp onion in each tortilla.  Roll and place tortillas seam side down in dish.
5. Pour remaining sauce on top of tortillas.  Sprinkle cheese and onions on top.  Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.
6.  Garnish with cilantro and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

I served these alongside some saffron rice.  I did not miss the meat this evening and thought these we amazing.  I was also worried that the chiles would be frighteningly, but they had a pleasant spice. 

In case you were curious, the dried chiles are in the produce section of your local supermarket and that whole bag seen about cost $2.

Make yourself some enchiladas from scratch, it's definitely worth it.