Deja vu Dinner?

Maybe, but with bigger and better enchilada details! K-man always gets a childlike face of excitement over enchiladas. And Valentine's Day is all about making favorites for our HUNNY!

I thought I'd make this post more of a tutorial with more photos on how to make some EASIER enchiladas that will make the process easier to understand.

Normally, you have to make a filling for your enchiladas. Then make an enchilada sauce. Then you have to fry the corn tortillas to soften them (sorry, nuking them in the microwave doesn't work for me, they always split on me). Then you have to lay each oily circle in the enchilada sauce, fill the tortilla, roll them and carefully line your baking pan with your enchiladas, pour on your sauce and bake them until the sauce is soaked up and melt your cheese last. And I didn't even mention anything about the how messy your fingers/hands get!

Now I am exhausted just writing/thinking about it! LOL

I have some shortcuts to tell you about to make this hearty dish kinda Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade way but I think better and no one I think could tell the difference if you didn't tell them!


Find some taquitos in the freezer section of your grocery. The corn tortilla'ed ones not the flour ones. Pick your favorite meat filling.









I know El Paso brand makes a perfectly good enchilada sauce in two sized cans. But but when I found the the seasoning came like this....I could use the seasoning with.....










some rockin' CHARRED tomatoes!

I don't know if you've tried FIRE ROASTED tomatoes yet....but they are AMAZING. It really adds more to a dish. The have many different versions and many companies make them....but I find they are SLOW coming into the regular grocery stores. Hope you have them!










Here is the envelope of sauce, with the can of tomatoes and 1 full and half cans of water poured in. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste to make sure it is how you like it. If you want more cumin or chili powder, cayenne or just salt and pepper; now is the time to do it.





Put your taquitos in a greased baking dish. This is an 11X7 glass dish. You can use a 13X9 if that is the only size you have. Notice I am not cramming any extra on the side.

Also I always have some extra ground beef in my freezer. Cooked with just salt, pepper and garlic powder. On hand for emergencies or creative genius moments!





I know these taquitos are already beef...but lets be for real. It's not going to be enough.

Throw in some green onions or regular ones (I had plenty of the green to use) You certainly can add peppers, or jalapenos, corn, beans, whatever you want to add to JAZZ them up.






Very carefully pour your sauce on top. You don't want all your beef and onions falling to the sides! I know it looks like a lot of extra liquid but that is OKAY. You want the taquitos to soak up all the liquid. Cover with foil.

Can I just say? LOOK at all those charred bits of tomato! I love it.




Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until the house smells wonderful and most of the liquid is soaked up.


Remove the foil and sprinkle on cheese and green onions and a few minced jalapenos if you'd like. Replace foil lightly while you set up your plates, etc.

and VOILA!

OMG, the smell, my mouth watering...I can't scoop them out fast enough! Top with sour cream and or guacamole....I made some Fiesta Rice to go with this....also very easy!


Shortcut Enchiladas
no fuss recipe by JennyMac

Frozen taquitos (whatever filling, make sure with corn tortillas, not flour)
14 oz canned FIRE ROASTED tomatoes + 1 1/2 cans water
1 envelope McCormick's enchilada sauce
1-2 cup(s) precooked meat (cooked ground beef or shredded chicken)
1 cup green onions
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 jalapeno, minced (optional)
sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 11X7 baking pan.

In a saucepan put tomatoes, enchilada seasoning and 1 and 1/2 cans (from tomatoes) into pan and heat to boiling. After boiling, reduce to simmer for 5 minutes or until thickens slightly. Be sure to taste that the seasoning is to your liking.

Lay out taquitos into greased pan. I fit 14 in the pan. Throw the rest in a baggie and back into the freezer for a snack another time. Put your cooked beef or chicken on top. Add chopped 1/2 cup onions or any other veggies or beans you want to add.

Pour your sauce on top and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour or until all juice is soaked up by taquitos.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with all the cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup green onions. I threw in some chopped up jalapenos in there too. Loosely cover with foil to retain heat and to melt cheese. Garnish with dollop of sour cream and/or guacamole.

Serves 4 hungry people