Aunt Mary's Enchiladas

      I tucked him in the baby car seat, snuggled in a warm blanket on a chilly fall night. We were making the trek from the San Fernando Valley to the Los Angeles International Airport area about 25 miles away. Hubby's Aunt Mary was making enchiladas and had invited us for dinner. Even better, she was going to teach me how to make this family's most requested dish for the holidays.
     Hubby was away on business so just little one, my mother, and I traveled the miles with anticipation. Warm hugs and smiles greeted us upon arrival. I stretched out little one's blanket, laid him down under Grandma's watchful eye, and headed to the kitchen for my premier cooking lesson.
     Twenty-seven years later, Aunt Mary's enchiladas top our family's request list, especially if we have guests.
     Sharing the recipe with you, although the kids (young men) feel as if I'm givin' away the family jewels!
Repost from last Friday for anyone who missed this family favorite.

Aunt Mary's Enchiladas

1 dozen white corn enchiladas

1 lb. ground beef (93 %)

1 brown onion

1/2 to 3/4 lb Colby Longhorn Cheddar cheese

2 , 8-oz cans of Hunts tomato sauce

1 can of chopped olives

1 TBLS Chili Powder

cumin

corn oil or the oil you choose to fry with (not olive oil)

Fry the ground meat on high with half of the chopped onion. Drain off 1 or a little more TBLS of fat from the pan and put into sauce pot to cook sauce.

Saute the other half of the onion in the fat in the sauce pot. Cook until onion is translucent. Add two cans of tomato sauce and one can of water (clean out the sauce left in the cans with the water and dd to sauce) Add the Chili Powder and shake a medium amount of cumin over the top of the sauce. Simmer with a lid on for 15 min. Take the lid off and simmer for 5 more minutes to thicken sauce.

In the meantime, salt and pepper the ground meat and simmer covered on low for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate the cheese and heat up enough oil (and a little more) to cover the bottom of an 8" cast iron frying pan.

Once the sauce has cooked, then you can begin frying and filling the tortillas.

Have a 9x13" glass dish or pan ready.

Dip the tortilla into the oil to oat it on each side (30 seconds on a side). Hold it against the inside of the frying pan to drain. Dip into the sauce briefly (don't soak it or it will fall apart) and slide it to the side of the pan.