Easy Enchilada Casserole

 Do you own a cast iron skillet? If you don't, you should think about investing in one. They are not expensive and the quality of cooking you can do with one surpasses any fancy skillet. Browning meat in cast iron is wonderful and you can't beat cornbread made in a cast iron skillet. The recipe below calls for one. Sure, you can get by with your regular pots, but a cast iron pot makes it so much better.

Tortillas - I love to use Guerrero uncooked Taco Tortillas. A dear friend told me about them and I haven't used anything else since. Of course you can substitute already cooked Tortillas, but once you brown your own Guerrero tortillas in your cast iron skillet, you may never switch back. I brown them quickly in my black cast iron pan with the tiniest amount of corn oil. After the tortillas are done and the pot is nice and hot, you can cook the meat.

Sometimes I have a little taco meat leftover after my family eats my ground beef tacos. I usually save this in a small tupperware in the freezer. When I get a good amount, I make nachos or Enchilada Casserole. I thought you might like the recipe for my Enchilada Casserole.

Taco Meat - (You can make a double batch and freeze half for another day of Tacos or Nachos)
1 lb. Ground Beef (low fat) (you can also use ground turkey)
1 Tbl. Olive or Corn oil
1 finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tsp. cumin
2 stems of cilantro chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Kosher salt
dash of Cholula Hot Sauce (or your favorite mexican hot sauce)

Brown the ground beef in the vegetable oil in a heavy black cast iron pan. The browner, the more flavor you will have. When the meat is browned, saute the onion and garlic until they turn clear. You don't need to remove the meat to saute the vegetables. Add the rest of the seasonings and 1/4 cup of water. Cook on low  for 10 minutes.

Enchilada Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

1 yellow onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2  cans tomato paste + 4 cans of water

1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes Muir Glen Organic

2 Tbl. chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Saute the onions and garlic in the butter. Once the onions turn clear, add the bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes. Run through your blender to make a smooth sauce. I highly recommend the blender if children will be eating. This recipe makes more than you need for the Enchilada recipe below. Use the extra to spread on a tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, roll and microwave until cheese melts for a quick afternoon snack. This sauce is so much healthier and more delicious than any canned sauce!

EASY ENCHILADAS CASSEROLE
2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas
Taco Meat (above)
Enchilada sauce (above)
1/4 - 1/2 cup sour cream
sliced jalapenos (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Use 9 x 11 pan. Spray bottom of pan with non-stick spray or lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Layer with flat tortillas first, meat, a few small globs of sour cream all around the pan, enchilada sauce. Then again: tortillas, meat, sour cream, enchilada sauce top with cheese. You can also add jalapenos on top. Cover with foil (sprayed with non-stick spray) Bake for 20 minutes in 350 oven. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Gluten/Dairy Free Option

Enchiladas 

Taco Meat - (You can make a double batch and freeze half for another day of Tacos or Nachos)
1 lb. Ground Beef (low fat) (you can also use ground turkey)
1 Tbl. Olive or Corn oil
1 finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tsp. cumin
2 stems of cilantro chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Kosher salt
dash of Cholula Hot Sauce (read here to see Cholula is gluten free)

Brown the ground beef in the vegetable oil in a heavy black cast iron pan. The browner, the more flavor you will have. When the meat is browned, saute the onion and garlic until they turn clear. You don't need to remove the meat to saute the vegetables. Add the rest of the seasonings and 1/4 cup of water. Cook on low  for 10 minutes.

Enchilada Sauce
You can totally cheat here and get the HILL COUNTRY FARE ENCHILADA SAUCE MEDIUM which is Gluten Free at your local HEB

1 tablespoon butter

1 yellow onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2  cans tomato paste + 4 cans of water

1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes Muir Glen Organic

2 Tbl. chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

  Saute the onions and garlic in the butter. Once the onions turn clear, add the bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes. Run through your blender to make a smooth sauce. I highly recommend the blender if children will be eating. This recipe makes more than you need for the Enchilada recipe below. This sauce is so much healthier and more delicious than any canned sauce!

EASY ENCHILADAS CASSEROLE
6 corn tortillas
Taco Meat (above)
Enchilada sauce (above)
sliced jalapenos (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Use 9 x 11 pan. Spray bottom of pan with non-stick spray (Pam original is gluten free) or lay out a sheet of parchment paper. Layer with flat tortillas first, meat, enchilada sauce. Then again: tortillas, meat, enchilada sauce. You can also add jalapenos on top. Cover with foil (sprayed with non-stick spray) Bake for 20 minutes in 350 oven. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.