Mary Ann's Enchiladas

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: Mary Ann's Enchiladas
Categories: Regional, Tex-mex, Enchiladas, Ground beef, Posted/tnt
Yield: 6 servings

--------------------------FILLING--------------------------
1 lb Ground beef *
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Cumin (cominos)
ds Ground black pepper
1/4 ts Minced garlic
3 Jalapenos; fresh, chopped
-fine or smallest can of
-jalapenos or chiles;
-chopped **
1/2 lb Longhorn Cheddar cheese;
-grated
1 c Chopped onion

---------------------------SAUCE---------------------------
1/2 c Evaporated milk (1/2 to 3/4)
1 lb Velveeta cheese
1 cn Cream of chicken soup
1 sm Container of green onion and
-sour cream dip (optional;
-but don't try any other
-dip such as French onion)
1 sm Jar chopped pimiento
1 sm Can sliced black olives;
-drained (2-4 oz. can)
18 Corn tortillas
1/2 c Cooking oil (approx)

* The ground beef could be substituted with a pound
of cooked chicken breast, I'm sure, but I've never
tried it myself.

**
I think the fresh jalapenos give a nicer green
appearance to this recipe than canned peppers; this
just naturally makes it appear fresher and more
appetizing. If using the fresh, cut them in half,
remove the inner membranes and seeds, and then chop
rather fine. I've also sauteed the peppers and added
them to the sauce topping rather than as filling -
either way is good. When sauteed, the green is even
brighter.

Brown ground beef until crumbly with the salt and
garlic. Drain off any fat. When cool, mix the grated
longhorn cheese in with it and set aside.

Melt down the Velveeta cheese on low heat, along with
the cream of chicken soup and the evaporated milk
(easiest to do this in the microwave). When smooth and
combined well, add the black olives and pimientos and
the dip if you will be using it. Set aside until cool.

Soften the corn tortillas one at a time in hot oil for
just a couple of seconds using tongs. Place on paper
towels to drain. (Later, I press each on paper towels
again. I don't like to try to soften them in the
microwave because they remain rather tasteless without
the oil.)

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture on each
tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in a large
rectangular baking dish. Top the 12 enchiladas with
the Velveeta mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees
for about 30 minutes. Watch carefully that you don't
burn it. Remove from oven when bubbly and a delicate
brown. (For a small family, I make this and divide it
between two 9" square baking dishes, freezing one
complete with the melted Velveeta on top for a
wonderful second meal which I serve homemade Spanish
rice with).

Formatted for MM by Mary Ann Young (and ex-Texan) from
my own tried and true recipe collection.

All of my Hispanic friends used to beg me for the
recipe; and even DH John rates this as 10 on a 1:10
scale....in fact, the only thing in my repertoire that
he rates as a 10 <smile>.

-----