"Mormon" Enchiladas

Hello! We are back from a fun Thanksgiving vacation, which I will write about soon, probably after Thursday, since I have a major paper due then. I should be writing it right now, but every time I try, I get interrupted. So I figured I'd blog real quick until the kids are ready for bed.

Anyways, A little while ago, I said on Facebook that my favorite meal was "Mormon Enchiladas" and I decided that I would share that recipe the next time I made them. Well, we had them last night, so here is the recipe for you all! Sorry in advance for the terrible photos, it's hard enough trying to make dinner when you have a toddler who is running around, a fussy baby, and then trying to take photos. And, I also apologize in advance for the vague directions and measurements. It's going to be a little rough...

"Mormon Enchiladas"

We call them Mormon Enchiladas because my grandma is from the Mormon colonies in Colonial Juarez, Mexico, and this is how they make them there.

You will need:

Vegetable Oil

Flour

Tomato Sauce

White or yellow corn tortillas

Chili powder

See? So far it's easy peasy. And super cheap.

First: In a large pot, pour in enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom, set at medium-high heat. You want the oil hot, but not hot enough that it starts to boil or pop.

Second: Take a large heaping spoonful of flour and sprinkle it in the oil, once it's hot. The flour should sizzle slightly. If it's not, the oil isn't warm enough. I usually throw a pinch in there first to make sure it's hot enough. But don't let the oil get too hot, or else the flour will burn. (I warned you these measurements and directions would be vague...)

 (Notice the little bubbling sizzle there? But it's not burning! Perfect! Also, that is enough oil to cover the entire bottom, but my burners are crooked so it all slumps to one side.)

Third: QUICKLY stir the heck out of the flour/oil mixture. You want it all to mix fast so that it's even and so that you won't get lumps, or so the bottom wont burn.

Fourth: Pour 1 can of Tomato sauce in, immediately followed by 1 can of water and stir like mad. I use one giant can of tomato sauce (I don't know, like maybe the 16 oz can? Do they make 16 oz cans? If they do, that's what I use...) but if you want to reduce the amount of sauce made, then just use one or two tiny cans, or if making this for a large group, add more cans. But always add the same amount of water as you do sauce. 1 can of tomato sauce = 1 can of water, 2 cans of sauce = 2 cans of water, etc. Make sure it is all well blended, and turn the heat down to medium. You are done with the cooking, so it just needs to stay warm now.

Fifth: Pour in whatever amount of chili powder you want. I like a giant tablespoon full, but this is all preference. Stir again.

BAM! Sauce is DONE!

*Tip: I put my chili powder in a container and freeze it. It keeps it fresh longer

*Another tip: The longer your sauce sits, the thicker it will get. Too thin? Just keep cooking and stirring. Too thick? Take off the heat and add some water.

While you have your sauce going, stick some tortillas on a baking sheet and place in the oven to warm them up. I put mine in at 350 for just a few minutes. You want them a little firmer than they are strait out of the package, or else they will fall apart in the sauce, but you want them soft enough to cut with a fork. Play around with them, you'll get the hang of the timing.

*Tip: My mom flips them over after a minute or so and cooks them on the other side. I don't, mostly because my mom does it with her BARE HANDS and I'm too much of a wimp to touch hot tortillas. But my mom's are much better than mine, so you may want to do that.

Once the tortillas are warmed through and slightly firm, take them and dip them completely in your sauce with tongs. Then pull them out, plop it on a plate, sprinkle with cheese, and repeat as many as you would like. Think of them like pancakes. You're just stacking them up. Sauce, tortilla, cheese, repeat.

Slab some sour cream on top, and to make them true "Mormon Enchiladas" top it all off with a fried egg and cottage cheese. (Fried egg not pictured because... well.. I don't like eggs.) And don't forget and ice cold Mexican coke, straight out of the glass bottle!

This whole meals costs pennies per person, feeds a LOT of people, and grand total takes maybe 5-10 minutes. I'm not kidding, it's that quick! Because you don't want the oil and flour or tomato sauce to burn, you have to do everything pretty quickly. I usually open the can of tomato sauce before I even begin in order to throw it in there as fast as possible once I get the flour all mixed in.

They are sweet, not spicy, and you can add anything you want to them. Olives, green onions, peppers, whatever! Sometimes I make this as a casserole. You make the same sauce, but you don't heat the tortillas. Just take a 9X13 inch pan, line the bottom with sauce, place tortillas along the bottom, sprinkle some ground beef (or chicken), cheese, more sauce, tortillas, beef, cheese etc, like a lasagna. Then bake at 350 until heated through, about 15 minutes.

If you ever want the real, authentic thing though, you're going to have to go to grandma. Her's (and my mom's) always turn out about a million times better than mine. They just have the gift I guess.

This really is my favorite meal. So easy, and a great tradition in my family. I request them for all my birthday dinners, and we have even had them for Christmas Eve dinner before (enchiladas on nice fancy china is pretty awesome!)

Ta Da!

Enjoy!