Homemade Enchilada Sauce & Bean Enchiladas

A few years ago, I found this recipe for Enchilada Sauce here. I've used it when I don't have a can of enchilada sauce on hand (which is almost always.) It's cheaper to make this stuff plus it's usually healthier.

Enchilada Sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (I used "no salt added" tomato sauce)
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Heat oil in large 2-quart saucepan; stir in flour and chili powder; cook for 1 minute.
2. Add remaining ingredients bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Makes 3 cups sauce.
This is enough to make one enchilada casserole in a 9x13 dish.

Bean Enchiladas
When I make enchiladas I usually like to fill them with a bean mixture. Last night I used the following:
1 can kidney beans
1 can olives
1 small can of green beans (hide them and no one will know!)
1/2 package tofu
mexican seasoning (I used The Spice Hunter brand, and it's great!)
onion powder
a dash of garlic hot sauce (I found at Dollartree.)

Spray 9x13 casserole dish. Add a layer of enchilada sauce. Fill 8 tortillas with bean mixture and place in dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas ensuring to get all parts of tortilla. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and decorate with green onions or chives.

Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Broil for a few minutes afterward if desired to get the cheese crispy.

When I make this again I'm sure it will be different. The filling is never the same. You could add cheese to the filling to make it extra good but it's also extra fattening and costly. :) If you don't have canned beans you could grind dry beans and cook with boiling water to get a bean spread.