Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

I'm a great fan of Tex-mex cooking. I'd better be; I am a native Texan. I have always loved enchiladas, but until just last week, I thought they were too difficult to make. I couldn't have been more mistaken.

Enchiladas are very satisfying on a cold winter day or for parties. This recipe is for eight enchiladas, but you can always double it or even make more, if you need to feed a hungry crowd. In addition, you can wrap them in foil and freeze them to reheat when you're too busy to cook but need a hot meal.



1 lb. ground beef
1 med. chopped onion
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
8 lg. flour tortilla soft shells (you can use corn tortillas if you like; just heat them in a very small amount of oil first until they are pliable, otherwise they will break apart when you roll them)
1 lg. can enchilada sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown ground beef with onion, salt and pepper. Drain and set
aside. Drizzle enchilada sauce in bottom of ungreased 9"x13"
pan. Grate cheese. Add sour cream and cheese to ground beef.
Spoon 2 tablespoons sauce on each soft shell, 1/4 to 1/2 cup
beef mixture. Roll and place seam down in pan. Pour
remaining sauce over enchiladas. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Garnish with lettuce, more cheese, onion, etc.

I like to make a salad with lettuce, tomato, onion, shredded cheese, and black olives (in other words, the garnish ingredients) to serve alongside the enchiladas. If you like them, you can also serve with finely chopped jalapeno peppers.

When the enchiladas are baked, allow the pan to cool slightly if you use a glass pan, then cover it with foil or freezer plastic wrap and freeze. To use later, just heat the enchiladas in a 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly.