Enchiladas

the key to good enchiladas, besides using the right ingredients, is warming the corn tortillas in a bit of oil before assembling the enchiladas.

3-4 cups prepared beef, chicken or pork*
1 small onion, diced
4 oz. can diced green chiles
garlic salt
12-16 corn tortillas (6 - 7 inch)
2+ tsp. oil
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup queso Oaxaca or string cheese, pulled apart
20 oz. can red enchilada sauce

*the easiest way to prepare the meat is to cut it into medium sized chunks, sear it in a bit of oil then simmer in water with a ½ teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper for 1 - 1 ½ hours until tender. remove pan from heat, pour out most of the water and let cool until lukewarm, then shred.

1. heat oven to 350º F. shred cheddar and pull apart Oaxacan or string cheeses, set aside.
2. in a frying pan sauté onion in oil and garlic salt over medium heat until tender and slightly browned. add chiles and simmer for a minute or two.
3. add meat with a little of the water/juice it was cooked in and simmer until most of the liquid has steamed off, set aside.
4. spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce into the bottom of two 6" x 8" or one 9" x 13" baking pan(s).
5. add a small amount of oil to the frying pan and on medium-low heat warm the corn tortillas in the oil (about 15 seconds on each side) adding a bit more oil as needed.
6. place the tortilla in the baking pan and fill with meat mixture, cheese and a conservative spoonful of enchilada sauce - don't over fill. roll the contents up in the tortilla and push to the side of the pan.
7. repeat with as many enchiladas as you would like and will fit in the baking pan, adding a bit more sauce to the bottom of the pan as it gets sopped up. if you run out of meat you can always make cheese enchiladas or bean and cheese enchiladas.
8. pour the rest of the sauce on top of and in between the enchiladas. sprinkle some cheddar on top and bake uncovered 15 - 20 minutes until cheese is is melted and sauce bubbles. i like to turn the broiler on for the last couple minutes to slightly toast the cheese on top.
9. let enchiladas stand for 5 - 10 minutes and serve with rice, beans, sour cream, avocado... or alone.