Viva La Mexico!

Ow. Owie. Mommy, that hurts. No, not the typing. The head turning. Yesterday, I was sitting at this very computer, working, and all of a sudden, my neck and shoulders go into a weird spasm of some sort, and the muscles just seize up - since then, I can barely move my neck. There are possibly several reasons why this happened. The first one that comes to mind is that I'm getting old (most likely) and it's definitely a fact that my fitness level competes with that of an 70 year old (no offense to 70 year olds). Secondly, my body is rebelling against work (known to happen). Thirdly, I've been jinxed - don't laugh. It may be a joint jinx, where both Ozzy and DH have conspired to prevent me from blogging - needy males that they are! Well, I'll show them!

Perhaps it would be best if I kept this post short-ish. I've noticed that I've been ranting and rambling on quite a bit in my most recent posts, and that's just not fair to you, dear readers. You, who so graciously visit my blog, are here for the food (let's face it!). We are foodies, you and I, and we have our priorities. So today, I'll just get straight to it. My reason to make this dish was very basic - I was in pain, and I needed comfort. Found this recipe on Jesse's blog, and she got it from her mom. I trust most moms in the kitchen - their food generally oozes comfort. This easy recipe spoke to me because of its liberal use of melted cheese. I caved. Join me, won't you? The siren call of melted cheese beckons! (or are those my painkillers talking?)

Enchanting Enchiladas (original recipe courtesy of Jesse's blog What's Cooking In The Orange Kitchen)
Serves 4

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients for filling:
1-2 tbsp canola oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red/green bell pepper, chopped, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ancho chile in adobo sauce, chopped (optional, but I liked it)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese (colby jack preferably)
Salt to taste

Ingredients for sauce:
1 tbsp oil
Half of the chopped red/green bell pepper
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2/3 cup water
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp dry parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For assembly:
7-8 tortillas, 8 inches in diameter, corn or flour
1/2 - 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Method:
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. In a pan heat the oil over med-high heat, and then cook the onion and bell pepper for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Next, add the meat to the pan, along with the ancho chile, and brown. If the meat is too greasy then drain and return to the pan. Finally, stir in the sour cream, salt and cheese.

3. In a small saucepan heat the oil and cook the bell pepper until tender. Then add the rest of the sauce ingredients from tomato sauce to salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Then pour into a pie plate.

4. Dip each tortilla into the sauce and coat on both sides. Spoon 1/4 cup of the meat mixture onto each tortilla and then roll the tortilla around the filling. Place in an ungreased baking dish. Repeat until you've used all of the filling.

5. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and then top with the cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the cheese and sauce is bubbly. Take it out of the oven and let rest for 10 mins before serving - that melty cheese may be tempting, but it's also scorching hot!

Verdict: Ooo, hot, gooey, melty cheese, it hurts so good! Yes, this is what I needed to get my mind off my aching back and neck. Serve it with your favorite green salad. I just had broccoli on hand, so roasted the florets in the oven and sprinkled with some salt and pepper - that's it. The enchiladas were beautiful. Maybe not to look at - I doubt out friends at Tastespotting will be accepting any of these pics anytime soon - but one rich, luscious bite is all you need to be transported to comfort food heaven!

If you don't believe me, gaze into the heart of this enchilada - you know it's calling your name!