Mom's Enchiladas

What could be more appropriate for dinner on my Mom's birthday than the enchiladas she use to
make for all her children and grandchildren?

She'd often drive house to house to her local married children, and deliver pans of enchiladas.

She would bring me a pan or 2 like this....and slip them into our fridge. 
Usually on a Saturday night, so we could just bake them for Sunday dinner. 

The ingredients.
corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, browned salted hamburger, cheese, green onions, and olives.
(Mom would use real cheddar cheese, unlike my cheeseless cheese here.)


Put a little of the sauce in a pan and warm.
Put a tortilla in just until soft (few seconds)
Then put some meat, green onions, and cheese. And then roll up.

Do them individually until you have your pan full.

Dennis does not like olives but in honor of my Mom I had to put them on today.

Put a little more sauce over all and throw some more cheese and onions if you like. 
(I only made 6, but that 28 oz can above makes about 10-12.)

Bake uncovered  @400' for 15-20 minutes. 
Perfect. 

Or more specifically:
And I just make half this amount unless we have company:

Heat on stove 1 large can La Victoria or Rosarita enchilada sauce. One by one, dip each corn tortilla (11 or 12 so buy 2 pkgs), then put 
a little cooked hamburger (salted) and cheese and green onions. Roll up in 9x13 pan. Sprinkle more cheese and put olives over all. Pour 
rest of sauce on.  400' for 15-20 minutes


And right here is where I need to show a picture of my mom holding a pan of enchiladas on my
doorstep. But I can't.  Because I never took it. 
I hardly ever took any of pictures of her. Why? Because she was my Mom and she would always be
there. Or so a part of my brain thought.

I also should have taken a picture of the large stack of blankets we donated to the Poverello house
yesterday. The only reason I bring that up is she was my inspiration for doing so. She had much
concern for the homeless. She helped serve meals to them every Friday until her Alzheimer's
interrupted all that.

To me, every day is her birthday because I probably think of her at least hourly.
Not in a grieving way. She is just a part of me.




8 comments:

lindsay lark said...

I was just trying to figure out what I was going to make for dinner and you solved it for me. Grandma Gaynor enchiladas! She was such a remarkable woman and I am so lucky I got to have her for a grandma. I only wish we got to have her longer!

Unknown said...

I might add that when making a large batch she liked to combine 2 different brands of enchilada sauce and she would use sharp cheddar so that she could have more flavor with less cheese :) Not sure why I know that.

Grandma Honey said...

I remember that too. Good point about the cheese. But she use to mix it with Las Palmas (or some such name) enchilada sauce and that tastes bitter to me so I just stick with the LaVictoria. I have had SO many people through the years ask me for her recipe. And remember Terri across the street?....she use to request Mom make these each time she had a baby.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to your mama in heaven!
darlene

Richard said...

Mom used Old El Paso...and the sharp cheese trick was used throughout her armamentarium. My poor wife never stood a chance living up to moms cooking. Tallerini, liver, stuffed bell peppers, tamale pie...hey wait, I hated all that stuff. My kids made out much better. They were raised on Taco Bell, KFC, and Judy's donuts.

Anonymous said...

I truly enjoyed reading your most wonderful tribute in honor of your mother's birthday. Thank you for sharing such remembrances not only with words but also with pictures. You look so much like her! Carrying on these traditions and the acts of kindness are truly inspiring and make us all very proud.
pjc in MI

Scrapally said...

Those look yummy! How sweet that she made them and delivered them a lot. I should be more like that. Sounds like you honored her very well on her birthday!

Susan Anderson said...

Looks yummy, and a perfect tribute to your mom!

=)

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