Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Homemade enchilada sauce is made out of pantry staples and takes hardly any time to make (in fact, it can be done simultaneously while cooking the meat).  It tastes better than the canned stuff and doesn't contain any unknown ingredients, especially if you do some home-canning of tomatoes.

This recipe works with fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes - so versatile!  Make it how you want it.  I used canned tomatoes from last year's harvest.

Here's the stuff that keeps it tasting amazing: spices galore.

Mix it all up and simmer.

Use on your favorite enchilada recipe, bake for 25-30 minutes, then sprinkle with your favorite cheese and some minced cilantro.

Homemade Enchilada Sauce (adapted from this)
Ingredients:

• 2 tbs oil (bacon grease or butter work great)
• 2 tbs flour
• 2 c. canned diced tomatoes*
• 1 tbs chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Mix in the flour. 
2.  Gently stir in the tomatoes, then the rest of the spices
3.  Simmer for ten minutes.  The sauce will thicken as it cools. 

*Here are other options:

• One can of tomato sauce + 1 cup water (makes a nice smooth enchilada sauce)
• 1 can of tomato sauce + 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 2 cups of diced fresh tomatoes (gives it a little more texture)

So there you have it!  The sauce can be stored in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a couple months.  A basic enchilada recipe is to take 8 burrito-sized tortillas, fill them with anything you want (meat, beans, cheese), roll them up and place them seam-side-down in a 9x13 pan.  Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas.  Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350* and immediately sprinkle shredded cheese over it when done.  The cheese melts, the enchiladas are awesome, you have an easy meal that feeds a crowd.