Let me just say that during this time period, I had less than fifty dollars in my bank account, and I wasn’t sure when/if I was going to get more. I also had another five hundred miles to travel. My best friend, who’d been traveling with me for the previous couple of months also had no money. So we were spending most of our time moping around the house and sheepishly making sandwiches out of my sister’s fridge. It was the night after our little falafel party, and after so many hours in the kitchen, and quite the mess, no one really felt like making a big production out of dinner.
But we also had to eat. My friend and me especially. We’d been talking all day about this idea for something, something involving recipe design. We didn’t really know what to call it, but we knew we wanted to keep cooking and taking pictures of it.
Sitting around the small wooden table in the center of the kitchen, drinking seltzer water, I got up five or six times to rummage around the fridge and cabinet, just to sit back down. My brother-in-law, Morgan, mentioned that he had some canned enchilada sauce in the pantry. I kind of stared at him blankly, and then pretended not to hear what he said.
If only there was something to cook.
I got up and rummaged through the cabinets once again. Morgan mentioned that he had some cans of enchilada sauce in the pantry. I gave him a look that could only be described as quiet despair. I silently got to work with a saute pan full of ground beef. In a pot, a stick of butter.
Morgan asked what I was making. “Enchiladas,” I replied. “Oh are you going to use that can of green enchilada sauce?” The moan that escaped me was visceral. Guttural.
This chipotle enchilada sauce was made with pantry grabs, super simple. We used the pickles and the tomato relish from the night before. For a complete spur of the moment meal and six listless looks through the pantry, this dish came out very delicious. It’s been a couple months and I’m pretty sure that can of green enchilada sauce is still in the pantry. Maybe one day it will be used, in a soup.
Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can refried beans
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup home-made enchilada sauce
- 8- inch tortillas
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat vegetable oil in non-stick skillet. Add ground beef and salt. Cook until browned, breaking up into small crumbles throughout cooking process.
- Add water, and the rest of the spices. Cook until water has completely evaporated. If there is any excess oil, drain.
- Add in re-fried beans. Stir often until heated through. Stir in enchilada sauce.
- Take 8-inch tortillas, add about 1 cup of ground beef-refried bean filling, sprinkle with cheese, and roll into a burrito shape.
- Line oiled pyrex baking dish with filled tortillas, cover with enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and tortillas slightly toasted, about 20 minutes.