Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Oh Boy, this has been a fabulous but busy week with little time for cooking and family dinners. The end of the school year is always a busy time with field trips and art exhibits and pic-nicks etc. The week started on a high note on Sunday with the completion of my first ever 5 mile (8km) running race. I did better than expected and it was so much fun to be a part of. Monday we had a pot-luck get-together and this was the perfect opportunity to make a treat I have have been eyeing for a while, Fresh Raspberry Bars with Goat Cheese (recipe to come).

I spent part of the day on a field trip with my daugthers 4th grade class on a steam boat on the Mississippi river. That was actually quite comfortable. But with no airconditioning in our house, it was brutally hot, not fit for man or beast, and certainly not for cooking. Wednesday we had the end of the year pic-nic at my daughters school. Food was provided there and we inhaled some burgers and hot dogs while following our kids around and socializing with other parents. Fun, but hectic. My two older kids didn't join us for all these events and I barely saw them this week. By Thursday the weather was back to normal and I could finally make a family meal and we could sit down and have a calm relaxing dinner (my oldest still missing from the table!). I had a recipe for Beef enchiladas I have wanted to try for a while and since it was a relatively cool day I decided to go for it. The outcome was delicious! The beef was fall-apart tender and infused with flavor. Everyone, even my 4-year-old liked this. Since it happened to be my birthday I made myself a delicious birthday cake, Brownie layers with Sour Cream Filling and Fresh Berries (recipe to come).

So there you have it. Life is crazy busy sometimes. But it felt good to take a breather and connect again around the dinner table.

Note! Cooks Illustrated used a top blade steak for these. I used a slightly different chuck steak. I think any chuck steak will work. Just cut it into smaller steaks for faster cooking. I also did not end up with enough sauce (evaporation),  so I just added a little extra tomato sauce.

Shredded beef enchiladas

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sugar

Table salt

1 1/2 lbs chuck steak

1 tablespoon grape seed oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or

mild cheddar cheese

1/3 cup copped fresh cilantro leaves

1 small can green chilies

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Combine garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pat meat dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook meat until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. Reduce heat to medium, add onions to pot, and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return meat and juices to pot, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until meat is fall-apart-tender, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Strain beef mixture over a medium bowl, breaking meat into small pieces; reserve sauce. Transfer meat to bowl and mix with 1 cup cheese, cilantro and chillies.

With oven rack in middle position heat oven to 35 degrees. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish (or use 2 smaller dishes). Microwave 6 tortillas on plate on high power until soft, about 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down center of each tortilla, roll tortillas tightly, and set in baking dish seam side down.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and beef. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and wrap with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden, 5-10 minutes more.

Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce and sour cream (which I unfortunately didn't have. I used it all for the dessert!)

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated, Make ahead recipes, 2011