Enchiladas

A very special family recipe!  My late maternal grandpa was in the US Army Air Forces (the predecessor to the US Air Force) during WWII, and the wife of one of his friends in the USAAF had the original recipe.  When she made it, it was meatless, but my grandmother added ground beef, and we've been making it ever since.  I'm so spoiled by these enchiladas--and especially by the sauce--that I don't ever order enchiladas in restaurants, because I know they just won't be as good as the ones I grew up on! 

Sauce

• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp Gebhart's Eagle Brand* chili powder
• 1 1/2 C water

1.  Combine flour and garlic salt in a small bowl, set aside.  
2.  In a medium saucepan, heat oil over high heat; stir in flour mixture.  Reduce heat to medium or medium-high and cook for 1 minute.  Do not allow flour to brown. 
3.  Remove pan from heat and stir in chili powder; when thoroughly blended, return to heat and immediately stir in water.  Stir until it is a smooth consistency--do not allow chili powder to burn. 
4.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. 

Enchiladas

• 1/4 lb ground beef
• 3 green onions, diced
• 2 1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 corn tortillas

1.  While sauce simmers, brown ground beef.  Add salt and pepper to taste if preferred.  Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.  Drain fat from meat and allow to cool.  Add onions and two-thirds of cheese and stir thoroughly. 
3.  Warm tortillas (see notes, below).  Divide the meat mixture evenly between the tortillas and roll each one.  Place rolled enchiladas, seam side down, in ungreased baking dish.  Pour sauce over all, and top with remaining cheese.
4.  Bake enchiladas 10-15 minutes at 350°F or until sauce bubbles and cheese melts.  Serve hot. 

Robyn's notes: to warm tortillas, place them between dampened paper towels, then microwave on high for 1 minute.  If a microwave is not available, remove from package and place in a brown paper back.  Sprinkle the outside of bag with water and place in preheated oven for 5 minutes.  Chili powder brand is important in this case.  The enchiladas can be made with another brand, but they really won't taste as good.  Each family member has tried, friends have tried, it's just not worth the substitution.  Gebhardt's is not always available (I can't get it at the markets in my area), but it can be ordered online in reasonably-sized packages, and is usually found at larger stores.  The sauce will make more than needed for four enchiladas, but can't really be reduced any further.  The leftovers are great drizzled over scrambled eggs, or baked chicken.  Watch me demonstrate this recipe, with a special guest, on youtube!

***** 5 Stars: Excellent. A favourite for both of us, I will make this repeatedly