My husband eats anything with cheese on it. It’s truly incredible. It’s as if the cheese somehow transforms the meal from “blech” to “oh la la.” I guess that’s the power of cheese. My husband also hates vegetables. In fact, he’s worse than the kids. He picks his peas out of the tuna noodle casserole while the kids happily munch on their food holistically with no sorting.
So I was only too happy to find a recipe that included veggies covered in cheese. This meets the basic cheese requirement of my husband and yet still covers the basic ‘5 colors a day’ rule that I try to have my family live by. (On a side note, if you haven’t tried doing it, you really should.)
Note: This is a lengthy recipe to prepare in one sitting. You either need to set aside an afternoon to make it, or prep some in advanced. You can also use leftover vegetables with this rather well.
The Roasted Vegetables:
Choose any type of vegetable medley you’d like. I used chopped olives, whole baby bella mushrooms, green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers, shallots, and Roma tomatoes. If you like a little ‘kick’ to your meal, add chopped jalapenos as well. Chop all the vegetables and lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with a dash of salt, pepper, and cumin. Roast in the oven at about 400, until tender.
For the sauce you will need:
2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce, 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1/3 cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon butter, 1 minced fresh onion, 1 can of green chilies.
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a larger stock pot. Simmer on very low heat for about 1 hour to 1 and a half hours. Stir occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, grate one large package of sharp cheddar cheese and one package of monterrey jack cheese.
To put it all together:
Cover the bottom of your dish with a little sauce to prevent burning and sticking. Fill each tortilla with a few tablespoons of roasted vegetables and about 1/3 cup of cheese. Roll the tortilla up and fold under the ends. Continue until your casserole pan is full, packing the enchiladas tightly together. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until the dish is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream.
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Rich and Creamy Zucchini Lasagne
Portabello Mushroom Stroganoff