School Night enchiladas wasn't the creative endeavor most people think. Rather, this recipe is a father's desperate attempt to juggle work, family and quality food. In the middle of the week, when the final straw may be to cook a meal, I had to come up with something. Yes, it had to be good, but it also had to be quick.



You should know that New Mexican cuisine is more than recipes and aromatic flavors filling the kitchen. Meal time isn't simply about the food, but infuses the lifestyle. It's the unhurried gathering of family and if they knew I was promoting hastily prepared enchiladas, I might very well be banned from future seating at their table.

As a young man, enchiladas were a celebratory meal. Served for graduations, birthdays, my grandmother would painstakingly start the red chile early in the morning. Nobody was allowed into her kitchen until she was ready for us. She'd chop onions, press garlic and fry tortillas until, finally, stage one was complete. Calling in the troops, we'd form an assembly line to dip tortillas in red chile. My sister would carefully fill each with ground beef, onions and cheese and I would roll and place them strategically in a pan.

In New Mexico, enchiladas are prepared flat, in layers and smothered with chile. Tradition calls for a fried egg served on top, so you can see why my elders won't be entirely thrilled with my desperate creation. Still, I have the trump card that wasn't available to them.

I'm told by my customers that I make the best enchilada sauce on the planet and only this is going to save me from the kitchen gallows. Like with all of our recipes, this will take you thirty minutes or less.

School Night Enchiladas-serves 4

1/2 brown chopped onion

1 chopped Roma tomato

5 tsp canola oil

3 cloves chopped garlic

3 chopped green onions

1/2 bunch cilantro divided

1 doz corn tortillas (prefer stale)

16 oz Coyote Trail Enchilada Sauce

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

4 oz sliced black olives Creme Fresh (sour cream) dollop

In a large frying pan, saute onion in Canola oil. Cut tortillas into small triangles and add to saute. Add more oil if necessary to lightly coat chips.

Cook 8-10 minutes over med. heat. Add garlic and 1/2 cilantro. Use spatula to carefully turn mixture without breaking up chips.

Add enchilada sauce and coat chips evenly. Turn heat low.

Add cheese and mix. To complete, add olives, tomatoes. green onion and cilantro. Turn heat off and let rest for 10 minutes.

Garnish with creme Fresh and serve.

Note-to serve New Mexico style, add a fried egg and place on top of ea serving.