Cheese Enchiladas

Good Morning Friends! Or, should I say Buenos Dias Amigas!

I love a reason to celebrate and today I have a great one! My friend Glynnis is sharing one of her favorite family recipes with us today. Yeah Glynnis! I am so excited. Ya’ll… seriously… I have to tell you that Glynnis is one of my most treasured friends. She is wise beyond her years and one of the most encouraging women I have ever met. I love her more than I could ever put into words.

So… today, it warms my heart to introduce you to my sweet friend, Glynnis Whitwer!

In my part of the country, Arizona, September 16^th is a celebration.  Actually most people call it Diez y Seis de Septiembre.  What is it you ask?  It’s the actual Mexican Independence Day (not Cinco de Mayo as many think.)

To celebrate with our brothers and sisters to the south, and to share a family memory, I asked LeAnn if I could post today.  She was gracious to agree, so I’m sharing how we make enchiladas in my home.

Being born in Phoenix, I’ve grown up eating Mexican food.   It’s what I want for my special birthday dinner, and it’s what I want when I go out.  And I love all variations of it, from the baja to Tex-Mex, and from la frontera (the border) to Cancun.  Let’s just say there isn’t a carne asada taco I don’t like.

When my first three children were small, I remember a night when enchiladas were on the menu.   As I was making dinner, a thought crossed my mind: “I need to make something different for my children.”  They were all under six and I assumed the enchiladas would be too spicy, and they wouldn’t like them.  Before I could grab a box of macaroni and cheese, I stopped myself.

I decided then and there my children would never be served a different menu than the adults.  I made the enchiladas for everyone and they LOVED them.  I’m confident that one decision helped me raise children who will eat – and like – everything.

Enchiladas continue to be a favorite at my house.  I always make a double batch so there are leftovers –  that’s not saying much, because we eat a lot.  Here’s my favorite way to make them:

Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 dozen corn tortillas – make sure they are soft, not dry

8 oz enchilada sauce

8-10 oz shredded cheese (Colby-jack if available)

4 oz can chopped green chilis (not jalapenos)

¼ cup finely diced sweet onions

Preheat your oven to 350°.   Spray a 9”x13” pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

Mix cheese, green chilis and onions.  Leave some cheese for topping.

Warm 6 of the corn tortillas in microwave to soften.  Take one tortilla and put about 2 Tablespoons of cheese mixture in a line across the center of the corn tortilla.  Roll tortilla and place seam side down in greased pan.  Top with enchilada sauce immediately.  This helps to keep the tortilla from breaking if it’s dry.

Warm the rest of the tortillas, stuff, roll and top with sauce.  Pour extra sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle reserved cheese on top.  Bake 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serve with shredded lettuce, cheese and sour cream.  Normally we add Spanish rice and a fruit salad to complete the meal.

I also make chicken enchiladas, with shredded chicken, cream cheese, green chilils and sautéed onions as the stuffing.   Then I use a green enchilada sauce as topping, and more cheese on top.

While my recipe might not be “authentic” to some, it’s a taste of home to me.

Glynnis Whitwer has been married to Tod for 27 years and they have five teenagers, all living at home.  She is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as the editor of the P31 Woman magazine, and is the author of “When Your Child is Hurting,” published by Harvest House, and “work@home: A Practical Guide for Women  Who Want to Work from Home,” published by New Hope.  Glynnis blogs at www.Glynniswhitwer.com and www.herorganizedlife.com.

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn