Gringo Enchiladas

I confess that there are some dishes I like to make more than eat; chili is one of them. So much of the preparation for a chili is about chopping - onions, garlic, chilies, celery, peppers - my favorite part of cooking. As a result, creativity with chili leftovers is always a challenge. Here is a new way of using them up, enchiladas!

I call these "gringo" enchiladas since they are so far from a traditional recipe that it's almost an insult. However, they are delicious and the truth is that it is hard to go wrong when you wrap chili in a tortilla, spoon spicy tomato sauce over it and bake it topped with cheese. Fantastic!

This version was so full of shortcuts. To make the sauce, I doctored some jarred tomato sauce by sauteing onions and jalapenos and then adding the tomato sauce and pouring it over the rolled enchiladas. What could be simpler!

While the chili I had was a ground beef version, you can use any chili (including a store bought can if you want to make it a totally pantry inspired meal). I believe strongly in substituting with wild abandon, you never know how it will lead you to something better!

Gringo Enchiladas

4 soft tortillas (flour or brown rice flour)
2 cups chili
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute the onion and jalapeno in the olive oil until softened. Add tomato sauce and turn heat down to simmer. Stir to mix well and cook on low for 2-3 minutes until sauce begins to bubble. Turn off heat. Spoon 1/2 cup chili on each tortillas on the lower portion of the tortilla. Fold in side and bottom and roll as tightly as possible. Place in baking dish, leaving some space between rolls. Generously spoon sauce over all and sprinkle on cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese browns and is bubbly on top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Zucchini and Basil Soup at The Soup Chick
Mushroom Almond Burger at ECurry
Bacon Wrapped Cheese Filled Figs at Talk of Tomatoes