Easy Enchiladas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large frying pan at medium-high heat add a tablespoon of oil. When the oil is shimmering and hot, add a corn tortilla to the pan. Cook it for several seconds, use a metal spatula to turn it over, and cook it for few seconds more. You can soften all of the tortillas this way, one at a time, or you can use my mom's trick of doubling and tripling up the tortillas to absorb excess fat. My mother places another tortilla either on top of the tortilla in the pan , or beneath it. In either case, the tortilla picks up some of the excess fat from the first tortilla. You can continue "stacking" tortillas, removing the ones that have bubbled, softened and lightly browned, while adding more oil as needed to the pan. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. It's important to pre-cook the tortillas because not only does cooking them help soften them for rolling, cooking them in a little fat helps develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove them to a plate.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the crushed tomatoes. Add the green chiles. Add 1/2 cup of water. Add the oregano. Bring to a simmer and taste. If the sauce tastes too vinegary, add half a teaspoon of sugar to the sauce. Remove from heat.

Put a little olive oil on the bottom of a 3-quart casserole pan. Cover 2/3 of a tortilla lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll it up and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled.

Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the casserole pan. Make sure the rolled up tortillas are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water to thin the sauce to spread it more evenly over the tortillas. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese.

Put the casserole in the 350 degrees F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve with sliced iceberg lettuce that has been sprinkled with apple cider vinegar and salt. Garnish enchiladas with cilantro and sour cream. See Perfect Guacamole for a great guacamole avocado side dish.