Authentic Beef Enchiladas

***Hola! Okay, this has officially made Brad's Top 5 list of favorites. It was one of those times when no left-overs were thrown away. To accompany this dish, I made fresh pico de gallo and homemade tortilla chips....in other words, we had a Mexican Fiesta!!! It was muy bien! I did substitute ground beef for the blade steaks. That cut the cook time down drastically, because the meat didn't have to simmer for the full 1.5 hours.***

Authentic Beef Enchiladas

Cooks Country magazine

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbsp chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tsp sugar

Salt

1 to 1.25 lbs blade or chuck steaks, trimmed to small pieces

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

½ cup water

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or mild cheddar

¼ cup chopped cilantro

¼ cup canned japapenos, chopped fine

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, white or yellow

***If you have any of the meat mixture left over, it is great to use as a dip with the tortilla chips!***

Directions:

1. Combine garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl. Pat the meat dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in a dutch oven (or I used just a deep saucepan) over med high heat. Cook meat until browned on both sides. Transfer the meat to a plate. Add chopped onions to the pot and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic mixture and cook till fragrent, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and water, bring to a boil. Return meat and juices to the pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer till meat is tender and can br broken apart with a wooden spoon or fork, about 1 ½ hours.

2. Adjust oven rack t the middle position and heat oven to 350. Strain the beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking meat into small pieces, reserve the sauce. Transfer meat to a bowl and mix with the cilantro, jalapenos, and 1 cup of cheese.

3. Spread ¾ cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Microwave tortillas 6 at a time until soft, 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll the tortillas tightly, and set in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and beef, you may have to fit a few down the sides of the pan. Pour the remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining cheese over, wrap with foil, and baked until heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking till cheese browns slightly, 5 minutes. Serve with yellow rice, refried beans, and sour cream!

Source: Cooks Country magazine - http://www.cookscountry.com/