Enchiladas!

Enchiladas are one of my most favorite things ever.  I know this may seem strange, but they're a comfort food in our house.  Maybe it's because when we first had Laela, our good friend Corinne brought over this huge pan of the most awesome enchiladas ever.  She's such an amazing friend, and while this isn't her recipe, this reminds me very much of what she made, and the happy time that came with it, so you definitely have to give it a try.  And hey, if you like it, make it for a friend who just had a baby.  This reheats pretty well, and I know it will rock their socks as much as it rocked mine!

Chicken Enchiladas

You'll need:

• 1-2 chicken breasts, shredded or chopped
• (1)  16oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• (4) whole wheat tortillas
• 1/2 onion
• 1/4 red pepper
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1/4 yellow pepper
• 1 cup milk (I used non-fat)
• 2Tb butter
• 2Tb flour
• 1 cup broth
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• Hot sauce
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

For the filling:

• Place a large skillet on medium heat.
• Drizzle a little bit of oil to coat the bottom of the pan (cooking spray is fine too.)
• Chop the onion and peppers.  Add them to the hot pan.
• Stir occasionally.
• Once the onions begin to look clear, stir in the black beans, 1tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, cayenne, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper to the veggies. 
• Add the shredded chicken to the pan.  Stir in with the other ingredients.
• Lower the heat to warm, or the lowest setting until ready to assemble.

For the cheese sauce:

• Heat a medium saucepan to high heat. 
• Place 1Tb butter with 1Tb flour in the pan.  Whisk into a paste.
• Whisk in 1 cup milk and 1 tsp hot sauce.
• When the mixture begins to thicken, add 1/4 cup cheese.
• If you like it spicy, you can chop a jalapeno or pickled jalapeno and add it to the cheese sauce.
• Salt and pepper to taste.  Add more hot sauce if you'd like.
• *I added a dash of paprika, garlic, and onion powder for extra flavor, but that's not required.

For the chicken sauce:

• Heat a medium saucepan to high heat.
• Place 1Tb butter with 1Tb flour in the pan. Whisk into a paste.
• Whisk in 1 cup chicken broth and 1 tsp hot sauce.
• Whisk in 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Whisk until a thick sauce is formed.

Assembly:

• Microwave each tortilla for 15 seconds.
• In an 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, place the tortilla in the pan. 
• Fill the tortilla, leaving 1-2 inches on each side of the tortilla.
• Gently wrap the sides of the tortilla around the filling.
• Place the next tortilla next to that one, holding up the sides so that only the filled part of the tortilla is touching the previous enchilada.  Fill, wrap, and repeat until all 4 enchiladas are formed.
• Top with the chicken sauce. 
• Top with the cheese sauce.
• Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauces are good and bubbly, and the cheese is well melted.
• Serve and enjoy!

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