This is an old stand-by recipe that I took and made last night with all “real food.” Everyone in our house gobbled it right up, so it’s definitely a keeper.
First, I drizzled olive oil in a skillet and heated it over medium-high heat on my gorgeous new Frigidaire range. Then I added ground beef (I used grass-fed beef from a local farm.) Sprinkled in a little bit o’ sea salt and freshly ground black pepper because Ina always says to season every step of the way, and I do everything Ina says.
After it was browned through, I added some chopped onion. I always chop mine fine and cook till it’s almost dissolved so my kids aren’t as likely to notice it.
While the meat and onions were cooking, I shredded a hunk of Colby-Jack cheese in the food processor.
Okay, a couple hunks.
(They add junk to pre-shredded cheese, so I’ve started buying mine in bricks and shredding it myself. It’s cheaper that way, for one thing. I read the cheese labels and only buy the ones without added colors and preservatives. Ironically, in my neck of the woods, it seems to be the store brands that are the most pure, so that saves even more pennies. When I feel like splurging, I buy raw cheese from the whole foods store. It’s much more nutritious, but it also costs a small fortune so I only buy it for fancy dishes.)
After the meat and onions were cooked, I took the pan off the heat and added the cheese and a can of enchilada sauce I got at Trader Joes — all ingredients I can pronounce, and no preservatives.
Then I took out my whole wheat tortillas (once again, from Trader Joe’s) and ladled a spoonful of sauce onto each one.
Rolled ‘em up and put them in the pan.
I spread the remaining sauce over top.
And then the remaining cheese.
And then it’s into the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. I threw it into the warming drawer to keep it warm until we could collect the kids from their various hideouts all over the neighborhood.
And dinner is served!
Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
16 oz Colby-Jack cheese
8 flour tortillas
12 oz enchilada sauce
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
In medium saucepan, brown ground beef. Salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped onions and cook till soft; remove from heat. Add shredded cheese and enchilada sauce; mix well. Spoon mixture into tortillas and roll. Place in a greased 13×9 pan. Make about 8. Top with remaining meat mixture and then with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve with a side salad and ENJOY!
This recipe was submitted to Real Food Wednesday and Tasty Tuesday blog carnivals. Stop over for more fabulous recipes!
Wow, that looks awesome! Though I’m partial to white enchilada sauce…I’ll have to see how I can similarly make it with “real” food.
That looks good! Might have to try that this week.
I’ve shredded my own cheese for years, too. It just tastes better and you are absolutely right – they add stuff to it in the packages!
Carrie, then you may like this enchilada recipe.
Take boiled, shredded chicken meat, and combine it with salsa.
Then dip the tortilla shells in heavy cream and fill with the chicken/salsa mixture.
Place them in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with Jack/Cheddar cheese.
Pour remaining cream on top.
Bake 20 minutes covered and then 15-20 uncovered till brown and crispy on top.
YUMMO.
YUMMY,YUMMY!!! that looks awesome and I’m sure it tastes good too. Will have to try this recipe at home.
Looks delicious. I want a fancy food processor.
Yummm. Thanks for sharing! I may have to add this to our meal list for next week.
I do the same recipe but with chicken. It’s so yummy!
Ok, so I’m just getting over the stomach flu and this STILL LOOKS SOOOO Yummy!
Steph
MMMM! That looks delicious. I hope you’ll submit it to Family Recipe Fridays this week.
I’ve been shredding my own cheese just because it melts better and is somewhat less expensive. Good to know it’s better for me, too! To keep shredded cheese soft for that long has to take some miracle preservatives…
mmmm that looks yummy!
I’m a shredded cheese addict. I don’t know why but I think it taste 1000x better shredded than sliced (and I love it sliced too). Anyways, the shredded cheese you buy at the store just doesn’t taste the same. You can definitely tell how processed it is. bleh.
Wow! That looks delicious! As I was scrolling through the pics my {almost} 3 year old shouted “CHEESE!” at the one where you topped it with cheese. He’s a big fan already! ;o)
Yum! Can’t wait to try this. TJ’s tortillas are THE BEST. Also, great to know that about shredded cheese; I had no idea.
Thank you for this!! I was JUST searching for an alternative to those pre-boxed taco meal things…. and this is great.
That looks wonderful – when can I fly over for some?!!
Yum! I just wanted to tell you that aha! I’d already thought about that with pre-shredded cheese. (Can you tell I’m proud of myself here?) When I buy groceries next, I’m definitely doing that!
Jo-Lynne, those look really good. I quit buying canned Enchada sauce years ago because of the ingredients and began making my own, but I’ll have to check out the one from Trader Joes (can I get that online? I don’t think we have a TJ anywhere around here)
Have a great day!
Kathy, I’d love to have the recipe for your homemade version. What’s in it??
The Trader Joes really did seem pure. The tortillas had more junk in them than the enchilada sauce. And it was tasty. Still, though, I’d just as soon make it myself if it’s easy.
Yum! I’m starving and that looks GOOD.
You know, it’s funny . . . as I read your posts I realize that I do what you do without even thinking about it. I choose the freshest ingredients and make most everything myself. I guess it’s just the farm girl in me that knows to do that. Hmmm.
Love the food posts–keep ‘em coming!
Shelly, and THAT is the point! This is the way it was for so many years. And then we got all industrialized. HMPH.
WOW, that looks amazing! I am officially drooling right now.
If I had any enchilada sauce, I would make this rightthisverysecond!!
Oh goodness thanks for the recipe for white enchiladas! Sounds positively delicious.
Watch out Rachel Ray! I am so trying this dish tomorrow!!
YUM! Marking this one to try soon. Glad to know I’m not the only one who shreds my own cheese ’cause of the preservatives! I feel like the Lone Ranger on that one most of the time. And you know, it melts so much creamier and yummier than the pre-shredded stuff. I always use whole wheat tortillas too…even make my own when I’m not being lazy (which means they’re store bought quite a bit, LOL!)
Oh…and I’m really jealous of that food processor. I have to grate mine by hand (okay…my CHILDREN have to grate it by hand).
That sounds like a winner! I’m going to make it this week and it seems like a recipe I can totally add to the “fall back” recipes!
Yum, yum, yum! It seems like blogs are always mentioning Trader Joe’s, but we don’t have them around here,:( Being a “real food” kinda gal, I wish we did. It sounds like you guys get the best stuff!
I look forward to trying your burritos
and who would have thought that about the pre-shredded cheese.no more..I’ll grate it myself or my 4 yr old assistant will.
wow — that looks so tasty! I bet my hubby (who isn’t a big Mexican food fan) would enjoy this
I always love your recipes, please keep them coming!!
Your beef looks exactly like what we have in the freezer! LOL Our pastor raises cows and, every year, we buy one from him.
Looks yummy! One thing about being in Maryland that is great is Trader Joe’s. There are no Trader Joe’s in Colorado and I love their organic and all natural products and good prices.
OH what a great idea – posting your meals!!!
Hmmmm my brand new food processor just arrived this week while I was away – I think I will break it in with this recipe!!
A thought about meats… my research has led me to a small few outlets for grassfed beef (in eastern MA) – and I wondered if anyone out there has had good luck with ordering it online for shipment. I am considering this.
Delish. And I love that you used whole wheat!
Nell
These were so easy to make and quite delicious!
Thanks for the recipe! It was totally easy to make. I can’t wait to taste it.
I’m late to the party, but striving now to watch everything I buy ~ that the meat come from ethically treated, hormone free farms. And that I look at ingredients before buying. This recipe is going on my menu plan for the week…. SO anxious to try {after a trip to Trader Joe’s}.
This looks so yummy!
Can’t wait to try it!
So, I know this post was a while ago, but I came upon it today while reading some of my “starred” posts in my google reader. I make something very similar (with chicken) but I do believe that I will be trying this beef version! The white one you mentioned (in the comments) also sounds delish.
I never knew about the cheese “junk” until PWoman mentioned it. I took a look on the package and was all EWWWWW and I’ve never purchased it again. (Another case-in-point of ‘where would I be on my real food journey if it weren’t for bloggers like yourself mentioning these sorts of things?’) I wanted to pass along that block cheese freezes well. I buy my store brand when it goes on sale for $1 a block (great price) and I freeze them. Take it out about 20 minutes before you need to grate it, and it runs so well through the food processor. I generally only use it IN things this way (like grating it up and putting it on pizza or in casseroles/dishes like this one). I don’t know how it would taste out of the freezer to just cut off a hunk and eat it, but we’ve had no issues with taste difference doing it this way.
THANKS again for sharing with all of us! (See–where would my menu be next week if you were to quit blogging? LOL)