Simple, Perfect Enchiladas

So I have a new endeavor.  For Christmas I got "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" cookbook and I love it!!  I actually read it for fun in my free time and look at all the pictures and the recipes.  A few weeks ago I made the lasagna which was really good.  And then last night I made the enchiladas for me, Steven, Amy and Steven's roommate Rich.  They turned out really good and then I got an idea.  I am going to make every recipe in the book. I am going to post all the recipes and pictures.  I know it is like the "Julie and Julia" movie but it wasn't until after I decided to cook all the recipes that I thought of that movie.  And then I thought ha! I will blog about it. This is a horrible picture but I forgot to take a picture of all the enchiladas before I dished them up.  OH well.  Here we go...recipe #1 ( I won't count the lasagna.  I will make it again another time).

The Sauce:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons flour
1 large can red enchilada sauce (28 ounces)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons cilantro chopped

The Meat:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion
Two 4 ounce cans diced green chilies
1/2 tsp salt

The Rest:
10-14 corn tortillas
canola oil for cooking
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1 cup chopped green onions
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

The Process:
In a saucepan combine the flour and canola oil over medium to low heat until starts to bubble.  Whisk together and bubble for 1 minute.  Pour the red sauce, broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer.  Now prepare the meat.  Chop onion and in a large skillet over medium to high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion.  Drain fat and then add the green chilies.  Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Turn off heat and set aside.  In a small skillet over medium heat, lighly fry the tortillas in canola oil just until soft.  Do not allow them to become crispy.  Place on a paper towel lined plate.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the pan in a 9x13 inch baking dish.  Next dip each tortilla into the sauce.  Set the sauce soaked tortillas on a cookie sheet and place the meat mixture, black olives and green onions on each tortilla.  Top with cheese.  Roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish.  Repeat with all tortillas.  Stir in the cilantro into the sauce and pour remaining sauce over the top.  Then end with more cheese sprinkled on top.  Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.  Yummy!

I then heated up some refried beans and made the Rice-A-Roni mix for the mexican rice.  It was a perfect addition.  Steven told me it was all magical so that is good.  And I am sorry to admit that this is the first time I have actually made a full on meal for Steven.  And I really do enjoy cooking but I have no excuses.  It is just rather ridiculous.

For dessert I made my blueberry dump cake.  I don't have a picture but it is amazing and super easy.

1 yellow cake mix
One 20 ounce can of crushed pineapples
One 20 ounce can of blueberry pie filling
1 cube of butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour half the cake mix on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Then spread the pineapple over the cake mix including the juice.  Then add the blueberry pie filling on top.  Spread evenly.  Then pour the remaining half of cake mix over the filling.  Cut up small pieces of the cube of butter and lay evenly over the cake mix.  It is A LOT of butter but I am being Paula Dean on this one.  Bake for 40-45 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream.  I promise you it is heaven.  It kind of tastes like a cobbler. 

Enjoy!