Mom's Enchiladas (tada!)

Ask and ye shall receive!

The original recipe came from a Michigan-Texan church lady named Debra Crane. My mom and another church lady named Connie (are you out there?) had a Texas cooking fest where Debra taught them the "real" way enchiladas should be.

From mom: "Last time I made it, I used 10 lbs of ground beef and two huge containers of enchilada sauce from Gordons, and just doubled or tripled everything. I knew when I made these, they would be passed around the church, and each of the kids' families would get one pan (at least) and we had to put one away for when I JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE COOKING! Now at least, when I make lasagna, if I didn't get the pans back, well, maybe they don't get any......."

Enchiladas

2 lb gr. Beef
1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage
1 large onion - chopped
1 lg. green pepper – chopped
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
3 tsp. cumin
3 tbsp. chili powder
10 drops Tabasco sauce
2 tsp. salt
1 can Old El Paso enchilada sauce

Sauté above ingredients until browned and then drain off fat.

ADD:
1 or 2 Cans refried beans
1½ cup fresh mushrooms slices (optional) or a can of sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp. hot peppers (optional) – chopped

Roll meat mixture into:
flour tortillas – (approx. 15 large – however any size is fine) – have tortillas at room temperature, they will roll better.

Put a small amount of Old El Paso Sauce (about a half a can) on bottom of a lightly sprayed with Pam 13 x 9-inch baking dish. On work surface of cupboard, place 1 flour tortilla and put at least a couple of tablespoons of meat/bean mixture on tortilla. Fold over ends and roll up. Place in a baking dish.

Repeat until pan is full. Cover with rest of enchilada sauce. Top with both kinds of cheeses. Make sure to cover all of tortillas with sauce. Do not let any of the tortilla show.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and hot.

YUM!

I usually make enough for dinner and several to freeze. Freezes well. Thaw completely before baking.

And a bonus recipe!

Salsa

¾ cup ketchup
¼ tsp. garlic powder (more to taste)
3 tbsp. hot peppers (more to taste)
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 med onion, chopped (or to taste )
1 med green pepper, chopped
½ tsp salt

Combine above ingredients (except ketchup) in a blender and blend just a few seconds. Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Add ketchup, simmer and stir occasionally until thick, 2-4 hours.
Store in a glass container
Recipe can be doubled.

Since my mom almost never has a picture taken alone, here's one of her and my dad...