Okay, I promise this will be a thread about chickens, mostly. But it's also going to be a bit about my life. And I absolutely have to post this recipe here where I can't lose it. It's a family heirloom recipe that nearly got lost. So if you want to read about chickens just skip this opening post. But if you want a recipe for the world's greatest authentic Mexican enchiladas, here it is:
Nancy's* World-Famous Enchiladas
First, brown ¼ c AP flour in a dry 1-qt saucepan, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, till it smells slightly scorched over medium-high heat. This will take about 20 minutes.
Then turn the heat down and add about half a small can of tomato sauce like you're going to make a roux, stirring with the wooden spoon. The sauce won't really co-operate, it will ball up and look alarming, but the point is really to kind of scorch it a bit, to get rid of that raw canned tomato taste. Then slowly whisk in about two cups of very hot water, like you're making a gravy. Stir till smooth over medium heat until slightly thickened. (Sauce will thicken as it cools).
Season with salt to taste. Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and other seasonings to taste. You may add another cup of water if it's too thick. Add 1 Tbsp butter to add richness. Let set till cool enough to handle. The sauce should not be red. It should be somewhere between orange and brown, a combination between the toasted flour and the tomato sauce. I should probably market this stuff, lol.
Meanwhile, finely grate a Colby or cheddar cheese into a bowl, about 4 to 6 cups. Finely chop half of a sweet or yellow onion into the bowl with the cheese. Rub a couple Tbsp dried oregano between the palms of your hands (to bring out the flavor) into the cheese mixture and toss with two forks till onions and oregano are evenly distributed throughout the cheese.
To make enchiladas, use corn tortillas. Lightly spray a lasagna pan with olive oil, including the sides. Dip each tortilla into the sauce, carefully flip it over, then lift and let excess sauce drip back into the pan of sauce. Lay the tortilla in the pan, lay some of the cheese mixture onto the middle of the tortilla and roll it up, so the seam is on the bottom. Continue until you have made 10 -12 enchiladas. Pour or spoon remaining sauce evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle more cheese over the middle. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Here they are, ready to go in the oven. I did not get an "after" picture, myvultures family devoured them. Lol!
* Nancy was my mom. Not only was she not a great cook, she was kind of a terrible cook. I pretty much hated her cooking. Except her tuna salad. She did that pretty good. And these enchiladas. She always made them for company. And seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I heard, "Nancy, you should open a restaurant ...." I could have retired at 20. Enjoy!
Nancy's* World-Famous Enchiladas
First, brown ¼ c AP flour in a dry 1-qt saucepan, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, till it smells slightly scorched over medium-high heat. This will take about 20 minutes.
Then turn the heat down and add about half a small can of tomato sauce like you're going to make a roux, stirring with the wooden spoon. The sauce won't really co-operate, it will ball up and look alarming, but the point is really to kind of scorch it a bit, to get rid of that raw canned tomato taste. Then slowly whisk in about two cups of very hot water, like you're making a gravy. Stir till smooth over medium heat until slightly thickened. (Sauce will thicken as it cools).
Season with salt to taste. Add chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and other seasonings to taste. You may add another cup of water if it's too thick. Add 1 Tbsp butter to add richness. Let set till cool enough to handle. The sauce should not be red. It should be somewhere between orange and brown, a combination between the toasted flour and the tomato sauce. I should probably market this stuff, lol.
Meanwhile, finely grate a Colby or cheddar cheese into a bowl, about 4 to 6 cups. Finely chop half of a sweet or yellow onion into the bowl with the cheese. Rub a couple Tbsp dried oregano between the palms of your hands (to bring out the flavor) into the cheese mixture and toss with two forks till onions and oregano are evenly distributed throughout the cheese.
To make enchiladas, use corn tortillas. Lightly spray a lasagna pan with olive oil, including the sides. Dip each tortilla into the sauce, carefully flip it over, then lift and let excess sauce drip back into the pan of sauce. Lay the tortilla in the pan, lay some of the cheese mixture onto the middle of the tortilla and roll it up, so the seam is on the bottom. Continue until you have made 10 -12 enchiladas. Pour or spoon remaining sauce evenly over enchiladas. Sprinkle more cheese over the middle. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Here they are, ready to go in the oven. I did not get an "after" picture, my
* Nancy was my mom. Not only was she not a great cook, she was kind of a terrible cook. I pretty much hated her cooking. Except her tuna salad. She did that pretty good. And these enchiladas. She always made them for company. And seriously, if I had a nickel for every time I heard, "Nancy, you should open a restaurant ...." I could have retired at 20. Enjoy!
I ordered Ams and Dominiques. But when I went to pick them up, surprise! The Doms hadn't hatched. So I accepted BA as a substitute. So now I have a very lively flock of 15 black crow-like birds galloping around my property loiking very much like a scene from Hitchcock's The Birds, lol.
