One of my New Year’s resolutions was to be less wasteful. More specifically, ensuring that I use all the food and produce that I buy, and not letting anything die in my crisper.
Am I the only one who has several, and I do mean several, partial packages of tortillas in their pantry? We take taco Tuesday pretty seriously around here, so I just get a fresh pack on the regular… I can’t be the ONLY one. If you’re like me, this recipe is for you.
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to be less wasteful. More specifically, ensuring that I use all the food and produce that I buy, and not letting anything die in my crisper. I know it sounds easy, but sometimes it is easier said than done!
I used to buy fresh herbs on a regular weekly basis even if I didn’t use them up from the previous week. Why!?!? So, because of my newfound resolution, I was having to become resourceful with my herbs. That means using every part of said herbs. You’ll see what I mean in this recipe… just keep reading.
I like to use the leaves and the stems of the cilantro (even parsley)! Personally, I think that the stems have more flavor. Some may say it is because they’re closer to the earth. There’s nothing wrong with using the stems of the non-woody herbs in recipes. Furthermore, you can use the stems of woody herbs in say a rosemary infused simple syrup where they can be discarded after.
This month’s recipe is Cheesy Beefy Enchiladas. I can usually find all of these ingredients in my pantry, freezer and the far corner of the crisper drawer. It comes together rather quickly, and you can clean up the kitchen while they bake. It’s a win-win! Let’s get started shall we!?
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground meat
- 1 brick of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro, including stems, chopped
- 1 10-oz. can enchilada sauce
- 10 corn tortillas
- 1 16-oz. container sour cream
- 1 packet taco seasoning OR 1 tsp each of: garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt
Brown the meat and half of the onions in a skillet over heat. Add the spices when the meat is 3/4 of the way cooked through. Stir well.
Once the meat is cooked through, remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the sour cream, and the chopped cilantro stems. Set aside.
In a 9”x13” pan, add some of the enchilada sauce to the bottom to coat a thin layer.
Take your tortillas and heat them up in the microwave for 20 seconds to make them easier to roll. One by one add a spoonful or two of the meat mixture to the tortillas, roll them up, and add them seam side down to the 9”x13” pan. Continue until you’re out of meat or tortillas.
Add the remaining enchilada sauce to the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melty and I like when the corners get a little crispy.
Meanwhile, mix together the remaining chopped cilantro and onion. Top the enchiladas with this and serve with remaining sour cream.