"It was a dark and stormy night ..."
OK, it was really a snowy and cold day, but you get the idea.
The "cream cheese with olives" thread made me think of olives, which made me think of black pitted olives (which are the only ones I buy -- don't like the green ones at all), which made me think of enchiladas (which is the only thing I make with olives), so of course I was craving enchiladas.
So I made some. Ground beef and onions on the stovetop (with a packet of taco seasoning -- often I just use cumin but I couldn't find my container of it so I went with the old standby), then add enchilada sauce and green chilis (both canned, for simplicity) and some chili flakes (for a bit more heat), then simmer for however long it takes the oven to heat up. Which was, for my new electric oven, just under 20 minutes. (Yeah, it seemed long to me too!) Then do the "messy bit" of rolling the enchiladas with sauce and the meat mixture and cheese and more sauce and chilis and olives and MORE cheese on top ... and yes, it was as messy as usual, but worth it, I think!
Then stick the pan in the oven for a bit over 20 minutes ...
... and in the meantime, make a Mexican rice dish in the microwave (this was a Knorr packaged rice dish, I must admit -- I cooked it mostly to have as a side dish and therefore keep myself from scarfing down 8 enchiladas as a "serving"
, since they are ADDICTIVE) ...
The Knorr Mexican rice side dish was surprisingly good. Way too much salt (alas, typical with packaged foods), but I tasted it before I added any at the table, so it was fine. As for the enchiladas, I swear, they tasted a LOT better than they look in that photo -- the first ones are always the hardest to get out of the pan without, well, making them into a big mess!!! -- but they were delicious, seriously.
I was able to squeeze 14 enchiladas into the pan and I ate 3 (including 1 more after those pictured above -- this one looked more enchilada-like but I didn't take a picture!
), so I have 11 left for lunches and dinners in the next couple of days. (Oh who am I kidding, I will likely finish them tomorrow!
)
I am on spring break this week although it's a catch-up week for me, NOT vacation time.
But at least I can go to sleep and get up on my own schedule, which is always nice. Wishing everyone a GREAT week ahead!
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