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When I first got married in 1999, I really only prepared “food” that was out of packages and cans. I was equipped to do almost nothing else. I was proud of myself for buying my Fresh Express Salad every week because that was healthy. And, yes, that is true. The obligatory salad is good for you, but I had a long way to go to having my family eat healthy whole foods. There were very few recipes I made from scratch.
Now I know we don’t have to buy all of our sauces from the store (and yes, I know there are valid times and different seasons in life where that is the best thing for your family). But for the most part the Standard American Diet (SAD) needs to move away from processed foods, and we need to reclaim the lost art of from-scratch cooking. It really doesn’t take that much time to make your own sauces; it just takes getting on your feet, a few ingredients, and a recipe. The more sauces you know how to make on your own, the more freedom you have in the kitchen. And now with the Internet, information in abundant is at your fingertips.
One of the sauces I haven’t made myself was enchilada sauce. Enchiladas are one of my most favorite dishes. If I am out at a Mexican restaurant, I usually go for the enchiladas (lately I have had to order enchiladas or make them without the cheese since I am dairy-free, but they still taste great). What makes the enchiladas scrumptious is the sauce, not the cheese, although the cheese enhances the flavor. All that to say, I thought it was time to embark on making homemade enchilada sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 T olive oil
- 2 T onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained, or tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 T whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour
- 1-2 T chili powder
- 1/2 t ground cumin
- 1/2 t salt
- dash cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pan.
- Saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, and then immediately turn down heat to simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
- If desired, puree the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Makes approximately 3 cups.
- Refrigerate enchilada sauce for up to a week, or freeze unused portion up to 6 months.
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 6 tortillas
- 1 cup or more enchilada sauce, divided
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
- optional, green onions to garnish
Instructions
- Mix chicken and broth in a bowl.
- Spread 1/4 up of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.
- Place approximately 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in the middle of each tortilla.
- Wrap each tortilla as indicated below, and place seam side down in the casserole dish.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce on the tortillas.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of enchilada sauce.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the edges of the tortillas turn a golden brown.
- Cool for 15 minutes, and garnish with green onions.
- Enjoy!
- Store remaining enchiladas in the refrigerator for up to three days. Makes a great leftover lunch or dinner the next day.
The Verdict: The more you make at home, the faster and more efficient you will become, you know the ingredients that are going into your food, and it healthier for you. I really love making my own enchilada sauce and adore the flavor of it. Feel free to add more chili powder or cayenne pepper if that suits your pallet.
It is easy to add black beans, or re-fried beans, and different vegetables into the chicken mixture for the enchiladas. We have really been enjoying the enchiladas!
As a side note, you can make the enchiladas without the tortillas by layering the enchilada sauce, topped with the chicken and add more enchilada sauce.
Have you tried making your own homemade enchilada casserole in the crock-pot or not?
Have you ever crock-potted your rice?
Go here for a complete list of recipes.
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Sonja
Shared @ Wow Us Wednesday, Talent Show Tuesday, One Project @ a Time, Fat Tuesday, Simply Indulgent Tuesday, Homestead Barn Hop, Metamorphosis Monday, Monday Funday, Better Mom Monday, Welcome Home, Church Supper, Sew Darn Crafty, Sundae Scoop, Seasonal Inspirations, Weekend Potluck, Fight Back Friday, Friday Flair, Thrifty Thursday, Pennywise Platter, 36th Ave. Party, Simple Lives Thursday, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Not Want Not Wednesdays, Healthy 2 day Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.
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This sounds great, Sonja! Enchiladas are on the menu for tonight; if I get my act together, I’ll try this!
Hi Nadene, Hope you enjoy it, if you can get to it!
I was able to try it for our dinner last night. I made a mistake and opened a can of Italian tomatoes, so it had a bit sweeter taste than it should have had! Everyone seemed to like it…even Rachael said it was ok! I loved knowing exactly what was put in!
Hi Nadene, If Rachael said it was okay, then I consider that a compliment! I also love knowing what’s in our food!
I used to make enchiladas all the time, and I always had to “doctor” the canned sauces because I didn’t like how they tasted completely. Why didn’t I think of making my own? I would have if I’d known the sauce contained such basic ingredients. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Gail, I know it is funny when we come to the realization that we can actually do a lot of things from scratch that we never think about! You are welcome, and thanks for visiting!
Like you, when I first got married and when my children were young my meals came primarily from cans and boxes. To be honest, I never even considered there was an option. Over the years I’ve found that I enjoy making things completely from scratch: Sauces, pasta, yogurt, soft cheese, seasoning mixes, etc. I don’t beat myself up if I don’t feel like baking bread and we buy a loaf at the store, it’s all about balance. But for the most part I love it. It amazes me that I didn’t think of it sooner and like you said – the internet is at our fingertips! But I’ve never tried enchilada sauce before so thanks for posting this recipe. (visiting from Homestead Barn Hop)
~Taylor-Made Ranch~ Wolfe City, Texas
http://www.taylormaderanch.com/blog
It really is fun to make food! Thanks for visiting!
Pinning! I make enchiladas, but I usually just toss and pinch my way into the sauce instead of following a recipe. I’d like to know what really good enchilada sauce tastes like, lol. Thanks for sharing at Healthy 2Day Wednesday!
How timely! I just made enchiladas with a canned sauce and my husband and I had a nice conversation wondering if there was a recipe out there for making your own. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Jill, We are really trying to incorporate more of our own homemade sauces in our lifestyle. It is more fresh and rewarding. Thanks for visiting!