CHEESE ENCHILADAS WITH CHILI GRAVY

Steps:

• To toast the cumin seeds, lay them on a shallow cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.
• Grind with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
• The toasting will give the cumin a mellower, pleasant flavor.
• In a saucepan, brown the meat with the onion and garlic.
• Drain fat.
• Add bacon drippings if desired.
• Allow drippings to melt.
• Add the stock cumin, oregano, salt, and ground ancho.
• Let simmer 50 min, until meat is tender and liquid has thickened a bit.
• Mix the masa harina in a small bowl with 2 T.
• of the liquid from the gravy.
• Stir the masa mixture back into the gravy.
• Stir very thoroughly to help the masa dissolve.
• It will thicken the gravy.
• Allow to simmer 10 min more.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a med.
• baking dish.
• Mix the cheese and chopped onion together.
• Soften the tortillas by dipping them quickly into 1/2- 1 inch of oil in a small skillet.
• Remove quickly with tongs.
• Don't allow the tortillas to become crisp.
• You just want them to go limp, to make them easier to handle for rolling.
• Drain tortillas lightly.
• If you are using fresh or homemade tortillas, they will not need to be dipped in oil.
• Using the tongs again, dip tortillas in the chili gravy to lightly coat.
• Lay on a plate and sprinkle 1/4 c.
• of cheese/onion filling into each tortilla, then roll up.
• Transfer to the greased baking dish.
• Repeat process with each tortilla until all filling has been used, or pan is full.
• Top the enchiladas with the remaining gravy, submerging each enchilada in sauce.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes.
• Enchiladas should be heated through and sauce should be bubbling.
• Sprinkle with cheese, onion, and jalapeno if desired.