El Chico is Stupid: No-Microwave-Required-Enchiladas

One of my favorite things in the world - enchiladas. What's wrong with them?! (Ala Joey) Tortillas: goooooood, sauce: gooooooood, beans: gooooooooooooooood! Now...how to make them better...for your body. I, being part of a Mexican cuisine loving family, ate at many a Mexican restaurant across north Louisiana. My first love - Guadalajara Grill...now defunct. The wonderful Taco Mania (Shreveport, LA) and Trejo's (Bossier City, LA...BUT JUST BARELY!) - both delicious!! While learning about food I find that I am quite disturbed by what fats are used to make this delicious food. A lot. We'll say that.

Recently my friend Pat and I went to a local Mexican restaurant and asked if they made such a thing as "cheese dip" or "queso". The dimly-lit server (that's nicely put) said, "Oh, yeah, uh, we've got, uh, queso fresco." "Like a dipping cheese?" I ask and he replies, "Oh yeah." Well...we got nachos. That's what we were given when asking for a dipping cheese. Good cheese, but not what I was wanting. Queso is a very common thing in Louisiana Mexican restaurants. Along with "Enchiladas con Crema" or something similar. Neither seem to exist in California. Anyway, during my "20-lb by 3/5" challenge to myself, I have decided to try and "healthify" some enchiladas. Not try, I will...I will do that. 2010 - I WILL DO IT! Lost two pounds as of today, btw.

This is a wonderful recipe that would be great started in a crock pot if you can't be there with the oven. I found this wicked roasting pan at a flea market (don't know why it's called that still) for $4. I decided to also use the roasting pan as the enchilada pan. Less dirty dishes...

**Special thanks to Amy Moody for doing all of the dishes. She excels at some things.

LET'S GET TO IT!

This is a chicken version - it's also really delicious with turkey.

The needs:

(for 10 enchiladas - I made 20)

10 whole wheat tortillas

1.5 lbs. chicken (boneless is easier)

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 carton chicken broth

1 red bell pepper

3 cloves garlic crushed

1 large onion halved, quartered and picked apart

1-2 hot peppers (should you like that kinda thing)

***All of the above goes in a roasting pan or crock pot***

Roast in a 350 degree oven for 2.5 - 3 hours. Remove the chicken and puree the vegetables and broth in a blender.

HERE IS HOW TO DO THIS AND NOT HAVE A HOT BROTH FACIAL:

1) Fill the pitcher half way.

2) With the top ON but the CENTER REMOVED,

place a small towel over the center of the lid.

*IT WILL EXPLODE IF YOU COMPLETELY SEAL THE TOP.

3) Pulse until everything is moving well and puree

until everything is smooth...repeat.

Pour the pureed broth/vegetable/enchilada sauce in a large sauce pan and simmer while you chop...

Pull the chicken apart and remove any questionable pieces (should there be any) and add:

1 can corn

1 ea. chopped red, green, yellow bell pepper

1 can chopped green chilies

**A few other additions could be: spinach, beans, feta, diced potatoes, etc.

Get in there and mix it up. Let the record show that wet (from the shower, not sweat) platinum hair looks clear - I'm not that bald...yet.

With a whole wheat tortilla in one hand, fill with the other and roll as such.

**Having your pinkie finger up makes them fancier. FYI.

This is what it should look like - dump all remnants from the bowl on top.

Pour the reduced and subsequently thickened sauce on top.

Adding some "authentic" flavor - one large can of Green Chili Enchilada sauce.

It is eaaaasy to go crazy with cheese. For two pans it took about 1.25 lbs to cover well.

Oven - 350 degrees, Timer - 45 minutes - and while that's cooking...

I love beans, my mother loathes beans ("Cut the beans, double rice" she says) - sorry mom, just scroll down past this I guess.

I love to make doctored-sides. Taking cans, adding fresh, making something special and delicious. And easy. Take a chopped onion and a large clove of garlic chopped and saute with 1 tbsp. butter (only butter in the whole meal). It should look like this...

This smells heavenly and is my favorite step of any food preparation. Butter, onions, garlic...goooooood.

Once again, I doubled the recipe, so the regular recipe would be:

1 chopped onion

1 large chopped garlic clove

1 can black beans (or others) juice-and-all

1 can fat free refried beans

1 tbsp. fat free sour cream

1 cup cheese - see it's not all fat free

I added some of our "Peppers of Unknown Origin" to add heat. It didn't - they're hit or miss. Fire or nothing...it's weird.

This is what the handle of the spatula sees all the time. Not a bad life...until you're submerged in gross sink water.

The sour cream adds creaminess but could be omitted since there's a cup of cheese coming.

Another "moment". Let this simmer and meld (stirring occasionally) until the enchiladas are golden brown and bubbly.

Enchiladas...that are almost completely homemade and healthier. That's the goal.

They were well received.

There is always going to be a part of me that wants to go out and eat. What if there is no Amy and you have to clean the dishes your self? It's not that much fun - but you know when cooking at home the food will be delicious and you'll know WHAT'S IN IT! Almost everything from the beans to the chicken broth were certified organic and there was very little fat used. Without cheese it would be delicious still and many fewer calories...but how many compromises can we make, huh?! Get the cheese.

I hope you'll try these! Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Pork, Crawfish, Lobster (for you big ballas') - try something new!! Make it yours!! And make it HEALTHIER!

Make it better, make it healthier - in and around your mouth!

-Walter