Simple Recipes: Beef Enchiladas

"Wanna hit up the Dining Hall?" my roommate asked me at 12:15 on a Tuesday afternoon. Normally, this would be an easy decision for me: Prime lunch hours, a warm, free meal and a break from the endless stress of Finals Week at Salem State. However lately food hasn't been able to deliver what I really want out of it: comfort.

Ultimately, I decided to tag along for lunch, hoping to perhaps be inspired by a warm chocolate chip cookie or cup of tomato soup. Maybe the tastes of true comfort food would help me ditch the feeling of being too busy to enjoy the onset of the holiday season.

This wasn't the case at that particular lunch, however my desire to fulfill my need led me to Crosby's Market later that day. Working in a Mexican restaurant for nearly six years has seriously altered my idea of comfort food, and as a result, my instincts led me around the Market with this recipe in mind.

Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 medium size yellow onion
8 corn tortillas
2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese
2 8 oz. cans of red enchilada sauce
Side cup of sour cream (optional)

Materials:
Skillet
Nonstick pan
Chopping knife
Baking sheet with sides

Instructions:
First, chop onion and set aside.

Next, brown the ground beef in the skillet, draining off the drippings.
While browning beef, heat the tortillas in the nonstick pan.

Once beef is brown and tortillas are warm, fill each tortilla with beef, onion and Mexican cheese.

Roll up the tortillas and set close together in baking pan and pour sauce over top of enchiladas. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.


The result was a delicious batch of Beef Enchiladas, reminding me of tired nights after long shifts at work when I would come home with an order of Agave's Enchiladas and sit down to watch T.V. with my sister. This was exactly what I had needed, warming me up and helping me let go of my recent bitterness towards food.

So, Vikings, if you're looking for some comfort food or anything of the sort during Finals week, try out this recipe and enjoy. Take a break from the books and try out some cooking to clear your head. Your sanity and health is just as important as your GPA.