black olives | The Tromp Queen COOKS!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/c_r_i_s/4301436373/

XL Beef Enchilada image by Cris via Flickr CC license.

I don’t remember where I got this recipe. As with most of the recipes I use, I’ve tweaked it a bit. My son (now 20) will request these every once in a while. It is probably because they are HUGE and have plenty of cheese. He has lived in Wisconsin since just before his first birthday so he is a native Cheesehead.

Beef and Rice Enchiladas

1 pkg. 6.8oz Spanish rice and vermicelli mix (such as Rice-a-roni)
1 lb. ground beef (or pinto beans)
20 oz. enchilada sauce (large can – I’ve used red or green)
10 large tortillas, warmed (could use corn)
4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (can use less)
Sliced black olives, cilantro, sliced green onions – garnish as desired

Prepare the rice mix according to package directions (The brand I use calls for a 14oz can of diced tomatoes). Brown the beef in a skillet and drain. Combine the beef with the cooked rice mix; add 1 ¼ c. enchilada sauce to this mixture. Save the rest of the sauce for later.

Into each tortilla put:

½ to 2/3 c. rice/beef mix
¼ to 1/3 c. shredded cheese
(and anything else you want to add in there)

Put a little of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13x9x2 baking dish. Place the filled tortillas in the dish. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Makes at least 10 large enchiladas.

We usually eat these with refried beans, sour cream and sometimes guacamole and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Image of Wisconsin Cheese by Shihmei Barger via Flickr CC license

Quick and Easy Artichoke and Black Olive Pasta Sauce, image by The Tromp Queen, CC license.

Quick and Easy Artichoke and Black Olive Pasta Sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 to 4 cloves minced garlic
1 large can (28 ounces) petite diced tomatoes (drained or un-drained — it is up to you)
1 small can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley (can use dried, but fresh gives a much nicer flavor and color)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 jars (6-1/2 to 14 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts (drain and chop)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 packages (9 ounces each) refrigerated cheese tortellini
shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in 3 to 4 quart pan. Saute the onion until it softens and turns translucent. Toss in the garlic and saute for another minute or so, watching carefully so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the salt, the petite diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and the rest of the herbs and spices. Heat to boiling, then lower the heat to simmer. Add in the artichoke hearts and olives. Cook the cheese tortellini (or any kind of pasta) according to package directions. Simmer the sauce until the pasta or cheese tortellini is ready. Serve topped with parmesan cheese. VERY GOOD!

Artichoke Hearts, marinated and quartered

I revised this recipe from “Herbed Artichoke Cheese Tortellini” that I found on Taste of Home’s recipe web site. I like the fact that it is made with mostly canned ingredients which is great when you live in Wisconsin and winter lasts about 9 months a year. Using the fresh parsley along with the canned artichokes and olives adds enough brightness to the flavor to make the effort of minimal effort of making the sauce well worth it.

Cheese Tortellini; Image by Laurent, via Flickr CC License. Tortellini aux chèvre et capres.

The sauce tastes great on cheese tortellini, but it also tastes great on any kind of pasta.

If you are really in a great hurry, I suppose you could use onion powder and garlic powder (or some sort of pre-chopped garlic in a jar) to speed the process even more. But seriously, this sauce is very quick to make even with chopping an onion and a couple cloves of garlic.

I hope you try this and please let me know how much you like it!