Gluten-Free Enchiladas... AYE CARUMBA!!

Pardon the picture which was taken with my cell phone, and the fact that my enchiladas came out looking like boobs. There is an explanation for that. These taste amazing!

So I know I said I would put up some of my favorite gluten-free recipes, but there have been too many to keep track of! Also, there are so many naturally gluten-free meals that don't seem worthy of being set apart for their gluten-freeness. Therefore, I thought that this meal was appropriate due to the fact that it is typically inedible for celiac folk. This gluten-free version is all thanks to my mom--thanks, Lin!

So basically the gluten-free part is the soft shell corn tortillas and the GF baking flour. It is not easy to find gluten-free tortillas in the grocery store, and Jon and I spent close to ten minutes reading all of the different packets until we found some that were CORN FLOUR. It didn't scream gluten-free all over the package, but if you read the ingredients you will see that there is no trace of wheat, rye, or barley anywhere in these babies. Also, they smell like feet. So, FYI. Don't smell them.

So here is the ingredient break-down:

Meat Filling:
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons gluten-free baking flour (any kind...it is only used to thicken the sauce and meat filling)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I didn't have any. It's not crucial. you need minced garlic for the sauce. So you get your garlic fix anyway. Up to you)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes

Sauce:
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 gluten-free baking flour (Again...any kind. Only used for thickening)
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
1-2 tablespoons ground cumin
1-2 tablespoons rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 corn flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) Colby-Jack Cheese (or whatever Mexican cheese you like)

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook beef an onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain.

This is how I cut onions....every time. Be prepared.

2. Add flour and seasonings. Mix well.
3. Stir in stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
4. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. While the meat is simmering: In another saucepan, sauté garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until bubbly. Stir in tomator sauce and seasonings--heat through.

By this point I was so sick of measuring spices, just put in whatever you want until it tastes good...I don't know why I didn't do this from the very beginning. It saves so much time. I even ended up adding in some ground smoked paprika because it smelled SO good. Ended up adding some great flavor to the sauce.

6. Pour about 1.5 cups of the sauce into an ungreased baking 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish (or whatever you have lying around. Please don't go out and buy this specific baking dish...or do...or don't...you just do you).
7. Spread about 1/4 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla.

This is the part where you find out why my enchiladas look like boobs. So I tried putting the meat mixture in the tortilla shells and rolling them up like the directions instructed. But these corn, feet-smelling tortillas kept ripping apart every time I tried rolling them. So I had to improvise, and they still tasted great. I put the meat mixture on one whole tortilla round, then placed another entire tortilla round on top of it, making like a sandwich instead of a roll. The tortilla rounds that we bought were small so I was able to fit two whole "tortilla sandwich thingys" plus another one cut in half, in the dish. I made sure I packed them extra thick with meat. That's what he said.

moving on....

8. Top with remaining sauce
9. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the tops with cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until all the cheese is melted.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Enjoy!!! This took me about 2 hours to make, from beginning preparation til the food was on the table. Seasoned professionals might be able to make it in less time. The picture doesn't do it justice...the spices in the sauce and meat mixture are so tasty!!!

Sur La Piste

Well, I finally made it out to Hailey and Jon already had me in ski boots and skis within a day and a half of arriving. For anyone who knows him, this is no surprise. I'm not complaining but I definitely wasn't begging him to go since I'm not in the best shape and haven't skiied in ten years...I've also never skiied in the backcountry, which is an entirely different animal. Jon was psyched. I was ready for a day of physical annihilation.

Nevertheless, I managed to ski 1,748 vertical feet up and along Titus Ridge. Skinning up the mountain (hiking up on skis that have adjustable bindings for heel-release, and fabric on the underside which prevent sliding backward) actually came pretty naturally to me. However, the skiing part did not! So disappointed! I grew up skiing and my whole family is pretty obsessed with it, but I've been snowboarding for the last ten years, so I've become unfamiliar with it. Someone told me it's like riding a bike...well that person was wrong. To give myself a break, I have never skiied in such heavy powder like I did today and I was breaking in new boots (so, come on!). I thanked Jon for taking his out-of-shape girlfriend who was skiing for the first time in ten years, and who has never skiied in the backcountry before, on a ski tour that lasted four hours and included tree runs and lots of uphill skinning. 

See below for my "Thanks, Jon" face:

In all seriousness, it was an awesome day and the views were breathtaking. All the huffing and puffing and frozen hair were worth it. I even started to get the feel for skiing again by the very end of the day. But it's safe to say that my entire body will be in pain tomorrow, can't wait!

As we were skinning up the mountain and I asked Jon to take our 8th break, or so, I explained that despite the fact that I was struggling during the second half of the day I was still having a great time. I didn't expect to be thrown into all this so fast, but sometimes it's better to just suck it up and dive in. Yea, I'm not in the greatest shape mid-January, but that's not going to change in one or two weeks so I might as well start now! In other words, I am "sur la piste", or "on the trail", in more ways than one. I am already balls deep in a new life out west full of new adventures, and I'm completely psyched. It was a really rewarding day, and I even managed to not get defensive when Jon gave me skiing tips...that may have been my greatest accomplishment. We definitely had a fun day, and never disappoint when it comes to making fun of each other no matter what the situation. 

Jon breaking trail on Titus Ridge:

When we got home, Jon made a pretty bangin meal of gluten-free pasta and homemade tomato sauce. This was after I said no on our drive home to stopping at the avalanche beacon park to practice locating avalanche beacons in the snow. Again...you have to know Jon to appreciate that scenario...always psyched for snow-related anything. He may also be half machine.

Also, now I know what I'm going to look like when I'm 70 and have gray hair. Exhibit A:

In other news, my car is still not out here and who knows when it will arrive. I'm crossing my fingers it gets here before my job starts on the 17th or I might have to borrow big Bertha to get to work.

Til next time,
-Bagel (ha!)