Some Like It Hot

When I made this one-skillet supper for the first time, it was the week of our daughter’s Celebration of Life Gathering. As you can imagine, my thoughts were elsewhere. So rather than tinker around with a new recipe, I was on autopilot and followed the recipe to the T.

Oh me oh my – wow! Normally I add things like chopped peppers from our garden or extra seasoning or a pinch of Cayenne Pepper to bring out the heat. I didn’t do any of that, yet this was amazingly hot. And the only thing I can figure out is that I was using a different brand of Enchilada Sauce. Having read the recipe before heading off to the market, I thought we needed something that said “hot” on the label since most of the flavor would be coming from the sauce.

At our somewhat well-stocked market, there was only one brand of Enchilada Sauce that wasn’t mild and that was Las Palmas. Now I’m not really all that loyal to products. Most of the time I’ll buy whatever is generic or cheapest, then play around with it to suit our tastes. I’d much rather invest in a good cut of meat or fresh vegetables. Those are the stars to most dishes anyhow. So I’ll jump around when it comes to canned goods. Whatever is on sale is what I will generally grab. This time around I was looking for heat. And Las Palmas was the only one that offered any heat.

I gotta tell you, I was so impressed with this canned Enchilada Sauce that I actually cut the label from the can and filed it away as a reminder anytime buying canned Red Enchilada Sauce, this was going to be my go-to brand.

There is only one other product that I have a strong loyalty to, and that in Best Foods Real Mayonnaise.

Yeah, the original recipe called for 10 ounces of Enchilada Sauce, and this can was 28 ounces. That was fine, a cup and a quarter was all I needed for supper and the extra sauce would not go to waste. I had Tamales in the freezer that were be perfect for an easy Enchilada Style Tamale. Yeah, the extra sauce was not wasted.

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Sizzling Smothered Burrito Skillet Supper
1 (15 oz) can Whole Pinto Beans
6 (6-inch) Flour Tortillas
3 tablespoons Fresh Cilantro
1 lb Ground Beef
3 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1/2 cup Beef Stock
1-1/4 cups Red Enchilada Sauce (see note)
1 cup shredded Mexican Cheese Blend

Gather all the ingredients for stress-free cooking. Drain beans, rinse well and set aside. Stack tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips and set aside. Mince cilantro for garnish, set aside.

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain well.

Add taco seasoning mix, beef stock, enchilada sauce and beans. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

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Stir in tortilla strips; top with cheese. Cover skillet; let rest for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro.

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Serve with Mexican Rice, if desired. And Peach Margaritas are great.