Two words that go great together  … Tex and Mex!

I really love enchiladas, but the idea of rolling so many of them can be daunting. Here’s a recipe that gives you that great taste but in a form a bit easier to manage.

Let’s see what we’ll need to make this:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 8-12 7″ tortillas (more if smaller) – corn or wheat
• 1 lb shredded cheddar
• 1 medium red onion
• 2-3 jalapeno peppers
• 1 cup of whole corn kernels
• 12 oz of black beans (1 can)
• 12 oz tomato sauce
• 4 tbsp chili powder mixed with 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp cumin (separate from above)

First thing you’ll need is enchilada sauce. Sometimes you can find it pre-made, but let’s do it from scratch.

Take the tomato sauce

and add it to a medium sized mixing bowl.

Add the chili powder/cumin mixture

Stir until smoothly mixed. Put this aside for later!

Chop the jalapenos (again, make sure not to touch your eyes after this until you wash your hands!)

The heat comes mainly from the seeds. You can control how spicy this dish is by adjusting the amount of seeds in it. Less seeds means less spicy heat!

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and add the ground beef

Add the jalapenos

Stir and let this start to cook a bit. While that’s going on, chop up the onion.

Add the onion

and stir!

Now add that cumin

Mix this all in

this is now smelling pretty damn good!

Corn!

you know what to do here … stir!

Finally some black beans …

stir this in, let it cook for about 2-3 more minutes

Your filling should end up looking like this!

Get a 9×12 pan and coat the bottom with your enchilada sauce

Cover the bottom with a layer of tortillas. Slice a few to make sure to fit all the way to the sides.

Cover this with more sauce!

Spoon the beef mixture on top, covering the entire pan

Add shredded cheese until covered.

HOLD ON, we’re not done yet …

Cover this entire thing with another layer of tortillas

Top with sauce …

Add the remaining meat mixture and cover with any remaining sauce

Top it with your remaining cheese

Place into a 375F oven for approximately 15-20 minutes … until the cheese has melted and started to get a bit golden.

Ready to serve!

Individually plate them … you can top them with a dollop of sour cream in you are feeling fancy!

There you have it … my “Deconstructed” Beef Enchiladas

Bon Apetit!

We have a Jack Russell-Pug-Sheltie-Border Collie cross named Pippi. (As we discovered upon moving to Quebec, this name does not translate and basically means to pee. This has led to many awkward conversations at the dog park). What fun is it to have a pet if you don’t spoil them silly? In that vein, we thought maybe we should make our own Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits!

“Did you say you were going to make me Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits?”

Yes Pippi, yes we are!  For everyone who wants to try this themselves, here’s what you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 cup flour (whole wheat or white flour works)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Pour the milk into a mixing bowl or food processor

Add the peanut butter. Natural peanut butter is much more liquid and easy to pour.

Mix this together

Add the flour and the baking powder

Mix it all together

Pour the dough out in a ball on a floured surface

Knead for a couple of minutes

Roll out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness

Now use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes!

Place the cut out biscuits on a well greased cookie sheet

“I eat them now?”

Not yet Pippi … place in preheated oven and 375F (190C) for 20 minutes or until starting to brown

SOON

Take out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack

Now you can have one Pippi!

Sit! Now roll over …

“Now?”

Here you go!  How is it?

“Can’t talk … eating”

“OM NOM NOM!”

“MORE?”

So there you have it, all you need to spoil your dog with Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits!

Bon Apetit, petit chien!