Cooking corner: bean enchiladas

By VIRGINIA OSELLA

Growing up, my siblings and I always got to pick something for mom or dad to make for our birthday dinners. This was one of our favorite recipes.

They’re delicious right out of the oven, but we always fought over the leftovers too. They were such a treat back then and now it’s really a simple recipe.

I was excited to make them for my roommates right after we moved into our new apartment this year. They loved them, so I cooked them again a couple of months later and one of my roommates asked me to show her how.

They’re a crowd-pleaser at a dinner party and they’re also good reheated. One batch makes 10 enchiladas, enough to feed our apartment lunch all week (trust me; you won’t get sick of them). You could even freeze a few if you like and heat them up when during a busy week.

It might be awkward at first to roll the tortillas and fit them in the pan, but it will get easier with a little practice.

After they’re cooked, the first enchilada is particularly difficult to serve, but it still tastes good even if it falls apart.

The sauce recipe makes a little more than you will need for baking, so you can serve it on the side for people who want extra. The leftovers are also good for quesadillas or tacos. It will stay good in the fridge for at least a week.

Ingredients:
1 package medium size flour tortillas

Enchilada Sauce:
6 tbs oil
3 tbs chili powder
4 tbs flour
2 cups water
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt

Filling:
1-2 cans re-fried beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (reserve about 2/3 cup to sprinkle on top)
1/3 cup chopped onion (optional)

Directions:

Sauce:
Measure all ingredients into a medium saucepan and whisk until well blended.

Turn the burner on medium-high and cook until sauce comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Allow to bubble for five minutes. Then, turn down to low.

Let the sauce simmer, stirring often, until it thickens (about 10-15 more minutes).

Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.

Assembling enchiladas:

Preheat oven to 350.

Pour enough sauce into a 13×9 glass baking dish to coat the bottom.

Spread about 1/3 cup beans in the middle of a tortilla, then sprinkle a pinch of onions and a handful of cheese on top.

Fold over the top and bottom edges and then fold over the sides to close the enchilada. Place it in the pan, seam-side down. Spoon a little sauce on top.

Repeat step two for all tortillas, and place each enchilada in the pan. They should overlap a little.

After all enchiladas are in the pan, pour a generous amount of sauce on top of them. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Take out of oven, remove foil and use a spoon to baste sauce onto any tortillas that have gotten dry. Put in the oven for 5-10 more minutes, until sauce and cheese are bubbly.

If you can stand to wait for a few minutes, the enchiladas will be easier to serve after they’ve cooled a bit.

They’re great with sour cream and Spanish rice on the side.