Dichotomous Beef
Posted Wed, 12/08/04
The other day I mentioned we rarely have beef in our house, eating mostly chicken, pork and fish. It's not that I don't like beef, but I've come to the conclusion that red meat is less healthy than chicken and other white meats. I'm sure people have different opinions about the matter, but I know how I feel after eating beef as opposed to chicken. While beef tends to bog me down (depending how it's prepared), I rarely have such a reaction after eating chicken, pork or fish. I steam a lot of my food, but rarely cook beef the same way because the fat content tends to make a mess of my steamer.
That being said (as the dichotomy continues), today's lunch was a dish included in a newsletter from Campbell's Kitchen last week:
Cheesy Enchilada Stack
1 LB ground beef
1 jar (17.5 oz.) Pace Enchilada Sauce
6 flour tortillas (10")
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
2 cans (4 oz. each) green chilies, drained
Chopped green onions
Cook the ground beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add 1/2 C enchilada sauce. Spray baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; place one tortilla on baking sheet. Top with 1/3 of beef mixture and 1/4 C cheese. Top with one tortilla, 1/2 of refried beans, 1/2 C enchilada sauce; 1 can chilies and 1/4 C cheese. Repeat layers. Top with one tortilla, remaining beef mixture and 1/4 C cheese. Top with remaining tortilla. Cover with foil. Bake at 400-degrees F for forty minutes or until hot; uncover. Top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and onions. Bake for another five minutes. Cut into wedges. Serves eight.
I made the dumb mistake of not looking at the recipe closely. Instead of making one stack, I ended up with two. I thought one stack might be more like an appetizer, not a real meal, so I set out creating two gigantic portions, stacked and stuffed to the rafters. I also mixed up the cheddar cheese with grated mozzarella, and left out the green chilies (because I didn't have any in my cupboard). While the meal was delicious, Wilbert only ate half of his, and I only managed to peck away at the mere edges of the stacked tortillas. We have enough leftover for another day or two, although I think I'll let my husband have my remainders.
Here we are, hours later, and I feel tired and bogged down. Will I ever learn? Not likely. In another few months I'll probably whip up another beef dish, enjoy it, and then suffer the consequences.
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