Tracy Tries: Tex-Mex Cooking 101—Lesson 8

Hello and welcome back to another Tracy Tries blog! If you don’t remember, or if this is your first Tracy Tries blog, let me recap. I am trying different DIY projects with instructions from various online resources that Mid-Continent Public Library offers, and I’m currently enrolled in the online course Tex-Mex Cooking 101 from Universal Class.

For Lesson 8, I had to find a Tex-Mex recipe I’d never made before. I decided to make shredded beef enchiladas. We had a beef roast that I’d mistakenly bought, so I used my Google prowess to find a Tex-Mex recipe that would use the roast. I found a slow-cooked beef enchilada recipe from Taste of Home that looked delicious.

During my search, I quickly realized that many of the recipes labeled as “Tex-Mex” don’t fit the style I’ve learned in the Tex-Mex Cooking 101 class. Since I couldn’t find a 100% authentic Tex-Mex recipe, I decided to substitute any ingredient I could. For example, my recipe calls for a can of chopped green chiles. Instead, I grabbed some fresh green chiles and the ingredients to make homemade salsa.

This recipe was super quick to make. First, I had to put the taco seasoning on the roast, chop the onions, then add those ingredients and the broth to the crock pot. It cooked for 7 ½ hours on low, and then I removed and shredded the roast. I thickened a bit of the sauce, added that to the beef mixture, and gave it a quick stir.

To assemble the enchiladas, I spooned ½ cup of the meat mixture into the center of a tortilla and topped them with chiles and cheese. Then I rolled the tortillas up and placed them face down in a 13 x 9 baking dish. Once all the tortillas were assembled, I poured the enchilada sauce over the top and topped it with the remainder of cheese. Into the oven they went for 15 to 20 minutes, and dinner was served! For toppings, I used shredded lettuce, tomato, and salsa.

The Verdict:

I could make these every day of the week, and my family wouldn’t complain! I had never made enchiladas before, and these were extremely easy to put together. I’ve eaten them at restaurants before, and this was the first recipe where I could tell a major difference between what I’m use to and authentic Tex-Mex. They’re both delicious in their own way, but you just can’t expect the flavor to be exactly what you’d get in a restaurant.

P.S. – I have a quarantine confession: we’ve always made a lot of meals at home, but recently, dinners have been things I can easily toss in the oven and bake. My family was stoked that they got a homemade dinner for a change. What kinds of dishes are you making?

Tracy M.
Electronic Resources Department