A RECIPE FROM MICHIGAN THAT IS QUESTIONABLE AT BEST...heehee

Actually, that's not entirely true..........the title of this post.
The recipe I'm going to share with you IS from Michigan and it WOULD be questionable if it wasn't my mother's recipe (she's a great cook).

The reason it would be questionable is because it's a recipe for Beef-Bean ENCHILADAS and everyone knows that you can't get decent enchiladas in Michigan.............. (please send all complaint letters for that crack to Oprah)

Mom's BEEF-BEAN ENCHILADAS

1 1/2 # ground beef, crumbled (which, in Texas, would mean that you could use axis meat and, also, we wouldn't put "crumbled" in the recipe - that should be a given. Uh, duh.)
1 onion, chopped (I feel I need to tell you that in Texas we would use a red onion - just in case you're a northerner making this dish)
1 - 1# can refried beans (Now, I would buy the refried beans with jalapenos. We can get those in Texas, but I'm not sure you can get them with jalapenos up north or that you could stand them even if you can find them.)
1 t. salt

1/8 t. garlic powder (Now, here's where I have to ask, "why bother?")

1/2 C. canned or bottled TACO sauce (never heard of it, actually. Might just be a Yankee thing. If I can't find it in Texas, I'll use Enchilada sauce.)

1 C. pitted chopped black olives ("pitted"? ya think???)

2 - 10 oz. cans of enchilada sauce (sure hope you can find that taco sauce)

Salad oil

12 corn tortillas (For those of you that are true Yankees, like my sister, Joan, you tend to pronounce this "tor-teel-yas". Now, as I've told Joan, on more than one occasion, that makes her sound purely stupid. The correct pronunciation is "tor-tee-ahs". Practice)

Oh, and, fyi, my family prefers to use flour tortillas and not just because it makes the recipe easier for me to fix either (you don't soften the flour tortillas in oil).

3 C. shredded cheddar cheese (Ladies. Ladies. Ladies. You don't use cheddar cheese when making Mexican food. You use shredded AMERICAN CHEESE. You buy it in a block at the deli and shred it by hand. See??? Kinda scary recipe, huh.)

In a frying pan, saute ground beef and onions until the meat is browned and onions are soft. Stir in beans, salt, garlic powder, taco sauce, and olives; heat until bubbly.

Pour about half of the enchilada sauce into a greased 9 X 13" pan.

If you're using corn tortillas, pour oil into a frying pan big enough to fit a corn tortilla.

Heat and dip tortillas, one at a time, in hot oil to soften; drain quickly and blot with paper towels.

Place about 1/3 up of the meat mixture on each tortilla and roll to enclose filling.

Place, seam sides down, into sauce in pan.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas; cover with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

When you serve these, mom always has garnishes - olive slices (redundant), chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and picante sauce (NOT Pace. Please.)

These really are good.

Thank goodness mom has a southern Texas daughter, huh.

So.

Let me know if you like my mom's Enchiladas (in-chee-lah-das - heehee)!

We're leaving in the morning for Texas - PRAISE GOD! - and when we get home, this is probably what Frank's going to want for supper very soon after my arrival - I'll bet he hasn't had any since I left five weeks ago unless my BFF made him some!

So.

Since I don't have a picture of Mexican food, this dish in particular, or a lady cooking, I'm letting you see my kitchen where I'll be fixin my enchiladas this weekend.

I can't wait!!

Thanks for reading my post, ladies. I do so love you!

XOXO,

. . . . . Jan