Butternut Squash Enchiladas

 

After a summer season of eating light, fresh meals, I crave baking something hardy and warm. I look forward all year to summer's fresh produce yet when the days start getting shorter again I can't wait to get in my kitchen and bake. My oven gets lonely and it's my duty to comfort it. Growing up in California, Mexican fare was not just a cuisine, it was a food group. If ever I get a whiff of fried tortillas, melty cheese, and pepper and onion-spiked tomatoes I get a little nostalgic about my childhood and want nothing less than a plate full of melty cheese-topped goodness always with a side of refried bean and rice. And a margarita never hurts either. One of my many summer jobs was busing tables at a Chevy's. While by today's culinary standards Chevy's may not be more than a glorified fast-food taco place, it was THE place to be when going out in the little town I grew up in. Which says a lot about my background! While "California Mexican" is not true Mexican (it's more like fresh Tex-Mex), it's what I think of as Mexican, except for the fish taco stands we used to stop at in Encinada...YUM.

 

These fresh take on enchiladas are packed full of healthy vegetables and delicious to boot. But like I said earlier, cover anything with Mexican-flavors and top it with melty cheese and I'm one happy girl. But next time you want to make something warm, satisfying, and south-of-the-boarder, give these a try. You might just start speaking Espanol! !Ole!

This recipe makes A LOT. Like a lot a lot. You can easily cut it in half, which would make an almost-full 9x13 baking dish full. I like to top mine with mashed avocado, sour cream, and some toasted pepitas, which are just pumpkin seeds, and a sprig of cilantro. 

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, roasted and mashed*

1 29-oz can tomato sauce

1 1/3 cup water

2 TB. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

3 cloves minced garlic, divided

1 chipotle pepper in Abodo sauce, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil

20 corn tortillas

1 red onion, sliced thinly

1 pound jack cheese, shredded

8 oz. goat cheese

1 bag pre-washed baby spinach

1. Season the butternut squash with salt and pepper, set aside
2. Combine the tomato sauce, water, chili powder, cumin, oregano, 2 cloves garlic, and chipotle pepper in a sauce pan over medium high heat and simmer about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. 
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Ladle enough of the sauce into the bottom of a glass baking dish just to cover the bottom, set aside.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat and dip each tortilla in about 3 seconds on each side and place on a paper-towel lined sheet pan. This is to soften the tortillas and keep them from cracking.
5. In another saute pan, heat 1 TB oil and add the onion and 1 clove garlic. Saute until caramelized, set aside.
6. To assemble, dip a tortilla in the sauce and fill with a spoonful of the squash, a few onions, goat cheese, jack cheese, and a handful of spinach. Roll and place seam-side down in the baking dish. To make this easy, I use a small plate to place my tortilla on while I assemble them and carry them around the kitchen so I don't spill everything everywhere!
7. Once all the tortillas are assembled, ladle the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle any remaining jack cheese over the top.
8. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. To make head: Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, remove foil and bake another 5-10 or until cheese is melty.

 Devonly,

Yours