Written by Donna and Sandy
Hello world! We are two foodie sisters who grew up 40 miles north of Mexico in Tucson, Arizona. We feasted on tacos, enchiladas, burros and all foods southwest. Beans, corn and chiles are in our blood, and we love to take everyday dishes and give them a modern southwest flair. We invite you to join us in our culinary adventures as we bring sassyness and spice to everyday foods!
For our first post, we share a recipe that not only represents where this blog is going, but where it came from as well. Before there was Bobby Flay, Rick Bayless or even Julia Child, for us, there was Mom. Our childhood memories are built around Mom's cooking. Nothing said "love" as completely as the tastes and aromas that greeted us as we walked though the door after a long day. Mom's Sour Cream Enchiladas are one of the many of our childhood favorites and always bring back the flavors of home.
MOM'S SOUR CREAM ENCHILADA RECIPE
Prep: time 15 min. Serves 8 to 12
2 dozen corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
½ white onion, finely diced
16 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, grated
4 ounces unsalted butter
¼ cup flour
1 can (16 ounces) chicken stock
8 ounces sour cream
1 can ( 4 ounces) diced green chiles
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons of cream, if necessary
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Soften the tortillas by dipping them in the oil for only a few seconds on each side. For faster results, dip two at a time. This will also prevent the tortillas from getting crisp as quickly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium high heat. When it begins to "foam", add the flour. Stir and cook until the flour is absorbed, but not browned. Add green chilies and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Thin with a little cream if necessary to reach a gravy consistency. Add salt to taste.
Spread about 1 cup of sauce in bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan. Place about ⅓ cup of cheese and a little onion in the center of each tortilla and roll up enchilada style. Place rolled enchiladas in the pan on top of sauce, completely filling pan. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.
Bake at 350° for about 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly.
Usually, sour cream enchiladas are just regular, red chile enchiladas with a spoonful of sour cream on top. Mom's are white, creamy and rich and make a hearty entree or a great side dish.
ROASTED TOMATILLO AND CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
Donna's New Twist: Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Mom's Sour Cream Enchiladas has been one of our favorite family recipes - we all LOVE it and I would guess that for the last 30 years I have made it at least 500 times. No - seriously, we love it that much. I wanted to do a variation with tomatillos and chicken - these pair well with the cheese and sour cream. So, here is Mom's Enchiladas with a few twists!
ROASTED TOMATILLO CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
Prep time: 30 minutes Serves 6 to 8
12 tomatillos, skins discarded, halved
2 Anaheim peppers, halved
A little canola cooking oil spray
2 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup flour
16-oz chicken broth
8-oz light sour cream
18 corn tortillas
1 rotisserie chicken (about 3 pounds)
16-oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4-oz queso fresco, crumbled
Remove seeds and pulp from chiles. Place tomatillos and chiles cut side down on baking sheet. Spray with cooking oil. Broil 6 inches from heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn oven to bake at 350 degrees.
Pulse tomatillos and chiles with 1 teaspoon of salt in food processor until roughly chopped.
Sauté onions in 4 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook about another minute until flour is absorbed. Whisk in chicken broth, simmer until thickened. Whisk sour cream into broth mixture. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon of remaining salt.
Sauté each tortilla in a little butter over medium high heat until cooked but not crisp, about 20 seconds on each side.
Remove meat from chicken and finely shred into small pieces with two forks. Spread about ½ cup of sauce in a 9 by 13 baking pan. Assemble the following layers (just like you would lasagna): spread 6 tortillas, overlapping to fit pan in a single layer; one third vegetable mixture; one third chicken meat; one third sauce; one third cheeses. Repeat for a total of three layers, ending with cheese on top.
Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly.
-- Posted by Donna and Sandy
Cornelius
Thank you!
Amy jane
Yum! I am so excited about this blog!
Anne
I can vouch for these enchiladas being the bomb diggity. One of my favorite dishes of all time!
Now I've got to try the chicken and tomatillo version . . .
Mom
Two words: Yum and thanks. Great look, interesting reading, wonderful pictures and mourecipes make this blog worth revisiting.
Donna
Thank you all for your kind words!
If there are any "special requests" you would like to make re: southwest foods, we would be happy to comply!!
Please visit often, and most of all: try these fabulous recipes!
Donna
Anne - on the whiteness issue - two things.
First, are you using the same pan for cooking the tortillas? If so, then the tortilla "fond" at the bottom of the pan is probably adding color.
Second, watch you butter and don't let it brown too much when you're making the roux.
But, whatever your color, I say don't worry about it - the flavor is what counts!
sandy
Anne,
On the whiteness issue-
Keeping the roux as blonde as possible is the key.
I don't use the same pan. I save a few minutes of prep time by softening the tortillas at the same time the sauce is thickening. Also, I don't want any left over oil in the pan. I am a calorie miser!
If you want to save on the dishes, remember that softening the tortillas only takes a few seconds on each side. You don't want to crisp them. There shouldn't be much fond and the pan will be very easy to wipe out with a paper towel.
sandy
Everybody-
I'm so happy about our first post! I know Donna is a pro but, this is my first real blog! I'm so exited that you have checked us out and are actually leaving us comments!
Love ya!
Sandy
Merlyn Sherwood
So deliciously and so yummy food. Very attractive and colorful pictures its really amazing! Am glad to see it and could give me some good ideas to enhanced my knowledge about cooking. Thank you for sharing with us your good knowledge how to cook the best for the family.
I would like to invite you to see my website at http//www.marykay.com/msherwood68.
Thank you!
Merlyn Sherwood
So deliciously and so yummy food. Very attractive and colorful pictures its really amazing! Am glad to see it and could give me some good ideas to enhanced my knowledge about cooking. Thank you for sharing with us your good knowledge how to cook the best for the family.
I would like to invite you to see my website at https://www.marykay.com/msherwood68.
Thank you!
jph3
Yum. This brings back memories of many a Christmas Eve dinner.
My request: Mom's Tamales, the ones with the single black olive in the middle, of course.
Love the blog.
barb
Donna - this has always been one of my favorite receipes of yours, thanks
Donna
Oh, thank you so much. I love them, too!
I have probably eaten a thousand of these enchiladas in my lifetime!
Heather
I was born in Ajo and grew up there and I always thought that sour cream enchiladas were suppose to be a white creamy sauce...until we moved out to Oklahoma, lol...Anyways, my Mom always made them the exact same way except she put shredded chicken wrapped in with the cheese and onion, everything else even down to the sauce recipe is the same...I make these for my family at least twice a month..no kidding...between those and red or green chile burros...I don't know which my husband and kids love best. My parents and siblings all gathered for Christmas and we had mom's tamales and several different enchiladas. It was wonderful! I'll have to try the ROASTED TOMATILLO AND CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE! Thanks for sharing!
Donna
So great to hear from another Southern-Arizona born girl! Let us know if you try any of our recipes - we'd love to get your feedback!
averagebetty
These look absolutely amazing! Love the twist too 🙂
Donna
Thanks Betty - Such a comforting recipe!
Branden Hoopes
SANDY! Your nephew here...that looks SOOOO Good! Glad I found your blog. Super excited to keep track. Wish you the best. Branden
Sandy
BRANDEN! It's great to hear from you! These enchiladas are a "secret" family recipe 🙂 Give Amber and the kids a hug from us.
Jessica
Just a question - In the enchilada recipe you direct to soften the tortillas in OIL however in the casserole recipe your directions say to soften the tortillas in BUTTER. Is there a difference in flavor or texture in the finished product using butter rather than oil? Just curious......
Donna
Yes, most definitely butter is more flavorful, but not as healthy. Your choice!
Jessica
Another question - In the casserole recipe directions say to broil tomatillos & chiles 6-8 minutes, then "turn the oven to bake at 350 deg." You don't say HOW LONG to bake at 350 deg. Thank you!
Donna
Jessica - Sorry this was confusing - just turn the oven to bake and take out the tomatillos. The oven is on "bake" for the whole dish later!