Slow Roasted Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

This one of those recipes I love to pull out when it's been a really long day. A reaaaalllllyyyyy looooong day. Today was one of those - unexpected snow storm, sick cranky kids, school out, temperatures too low to play outside - something warm, cheesy and infinitely satisfying was call for - big time.

This looks like a lot of ingredients - but you're really only making two elements; the filling for the enchiladas, and the sauce, and a lot of the ingredients are duplicated. This one is also easy to drop calories and fat from - if you use reduced fat cheese and sour cream. You're already trimming the roast and defatting the juices, and using high intensity flavor ingredients such as onion, garlic and cumin. You'll never notice the fat loss, the flavor still rocks.

All four kids eat it and ask for seconds, and this makes just the right amount. The little guys eat half of one each - my big guy eats two or three. Throw on a big green salad and you're golden!

1/2 recipe Basic Beef Roast
Reserved juices from Basic Beef Roast, divided
For the Filling:
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 19 oz can black beans
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/3 to 1/2 cup beef juices
1/4 cup sour cream
4 oz Monterrey Jack, grated
1 1/2 tsp salt
several cranks freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:
Remainder of the beef broth - about 1 cup
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz Monterrey Jack, divided
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 tortillas - I used flour, but corn is great too

1. Trim any fat from the beef, and using a fork, shred it finely. If you follow the grain it should come right apart. It should look like this:

If you started with a 3 lb roast, and you're using 1/2 of the recipe, then you should get about two cups. A little more or less is fine.

2. In a large skillet, add a little oil, and saute onion for about six-seven minutes, or until fragrant and beginning to soften.

3. Add garlic and cook another couple of minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.

5. In a seperate mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for sauce, reserving half of the cheese. Mix well to combine.

6. Divide filling into eight equal portions. Spoon 1/8 of filling mixture into each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place each rolled tortilla in a 9x13 baking dish. I had to stack them with five on the bottom and three on top. No big deal. Preheat oven to 350F.

7. If using two layers, spoon half the sauce over the first layer, then continue stacking. If one layer, just make sure to let a little sauce between each enchilada.

8. Top enchiladas with remaining cheese. Bake for 350F for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly at the sides and the cheese is melted and gooey.