Fiesta!

Growing up, we never really did the whole “repurposing food” thing (turkey soup after Thanksgiving, stuffed peppers out of meatloaf, etc.). Lately, though, Brian and I have been trying to eat at home more- which means that our fridge is crammed with leftovers. And you can only have so many leftover *insert protein here* sandwiches.

After Sunday’s dinner, we found ourselves faced with a whole lot of extra pot roast. Seeing that tomorrow’s CINCO DE MAYO, what better use of the surplus than enchiladas? And these contain extra veggies and beans, unlike the traditional enchiladas you’ll find at most Mexican restaurants.

So here’s the recipe.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Serves 4 (8 Enchiladas)

• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1/2 Medium Onion, Diced
• 1 C Frozen Corn Kernels
• 1 Bell Pepper, Seeded and Diced
• 1 Can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed
• 2 C Leftover Pot Roast, Shredded
• 2 Cans (10 oz each) Red Enchilada Sauce
• 2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Hot Sauce (I used Chipotle Tabasco)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• Salt & Pepper
• 8 Tortillas (Soft Taco/Medium Size)
• 2 Cups Mexican-Blend Shredded Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until translucent.

2. Add corn, peppers and black beans and stir until heated through.

3. Add pot roast and cook for a few minutes, breaking up any large chunks. Pour in half of one can of the enchilada sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, cumin and chili powder. Then add salt & pepper to taste.

4. Simmer for several minutes, stirring. Remove from heat. Mixture will look like this:

5. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour other half of the can of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.

6. Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about 1/2 cup of the beef mixture in the center of each tortilla, then roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. I only fit 7 in my baking dish, but one of the enchiladas was overstuffed.

7. Once all tortillas are filled, pour remaining can of sauce over the enchiladas, then top with cheese.

8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Top with avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, cilantro, etc…

VOILA.

Okay, I can’t resist sharing a few pics.

My sous chef:

And can you tell who in our house is desperate for affection right now?

Poor Chloe.

- CINCO DE MAYO SURVEY-

Frozen or on the rocks?

Frozen, with salt.