Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Sometimes you need a quick, throw together meal for dinner.  Okay, so most nights that's what I need.  But sometimes there's a meal that is so incredibly amazing, that it's totally worth spending a bit more time on it.  This is most definitely one of those meals.  You start off by cooking the roast in the crockpot throughout the day.  The smell hangs in the air all day long as a constant reminder of how awesome dinner is going to be.  After the crockpot, you shred and then pan sear the meat.  You'll want to sneak a taste of the meat at this point.  Be warned though, you might want to just stop right here and eat all of it. Resist though, you're almost to the finish line.  Next, you'll make some killer enchilada sauce, mix it with the meat then roll it all up in a tortilla and stick it in the oven for it's final baking.  By the time these babies get to your plate you are going to be wiping the drool off your chin.  And then when you take that first bite, you will know that every second you spent working on it was a second well spent.  Trust me, don't skip a single step.  These are the most amazing beef enchiladas in all of forever.

For the meat:
1 chuck roast, about 3 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
½ Tbs tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 C beef broth

Add broth to slow cooker then add all ingredients, except for roast and mix together. Add the roast and cook on high for 5-6 hours, remove meat and shred, removing any fat, then return to slow cooker. Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 hours. Transfer the meat to a large skillet and add 1-2 cups of the liquid. Saute on high until all the liquid has been absorbed, adding any necessary seasonings to taste.

For the enchilada sauce:
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
2 (8-oz) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
12 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400. Remove meat from skillet and set aside. In skillet combine the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water. Bring to a simmer. Remove about half the sauce and set aside for the top. Stir the shredded beef into the remaining sauce in the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes. Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high about 40-60 seconds. Spoon the meat mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla then tightly roll and lay seam-side down in a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour the reserved sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas and top with the shredded cheese. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, shredded lettuce, olives and diced tomatoes.

As a Freezer Meal
Prepare as directed but do not bake.  I suggest using a foil pan so you don't have one of your regular baking dishes stuck in the freezer.  Cover tightly with 2-3 layers of plastic wrap and tin foil.  When ready to use, remove plastic wrap, cover with foil and put in the oven, frozen.  Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes, until heated all the way through.  Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream, shredded lettuce, olives and diced tomatoes.

Source:  Who Wants Dinner