This is how we roll... enchiladas

February 14th was muy caliente at la Casa de Smith. For the 2nd year in a row, we skipped the crowds and decided on some Tex-Mex themed grub inspired by our first Valentine's Day together 5 years ago. 

On the menu for the evening:

- Mango Margaritas

- Jumbo lump crab and avocado stuffed enchiladas with tequila lime cream sauce

- Squash, zucchini, red onion medley sauteed in tequila/olive oil mixture

- Can you tell we like tequila?

Senor Smith mixing the mangos margs 

The most delicious v-day dinner yet! Creamy cheesy avocado-y goodness.
 PS- Can you tell we like CHEAP tequila? Used the Patron at a party this summer... need to re-stock ;)

If you love Tex Mex and have 1.5 hours to spare, I highly recommend giving this recipe a shot. It's not a difficult recipe, it's just very time consuming and there's a lot of chopping, mixing, and prepping involved. Actual "cook" time is 20 minutes for the sauce and 10 minutes for the enchiladas.

A lot of the steps can be done simultaneously, so it's a great meal to cook with your hubby or roomie or bestie. Margaritas + team work + amor in the air = successful Valentine's Day Din Din!

The spread 

Step 1: I started making the tequila cream sauce.
Sauté onions & garlic in butter until onions are clear.
On the back burner, dice mushrooms and saute in EVOO on low.

Add tequila {yeeeeah buddy} and boil to reduce.

While I was cooking the sauce, Senor Smith made the avocado and crab enchilada filling.

Pause to take a kissy pic.

Step 2: Senor Smith rolled the enchiladas. 1 layer of guac mic, 1 tbsp queso fresco, 1 tbsp cream sauce.

Roll them up, place them face down in the pan.

While he rolled the enchiladas, I started the sauteed the veggies. Cover and simmer while the rest of the food cooks. 

Step 3: Once pan is full, cover with 2/3 of the remaining cream sauce and cover with monterey jack cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes {uncovered} until the sauce bubbles.

Step 4: Serve it up & bring your appetite!

MmmmMMmmmMm

Mango Margaritas 

{According to Zeke}

• Orange juice
• Tequila
• Triple Sec
• Margaritaville Mango Mix

"Pour in 1 cup of tequila. Add the rest to taste. I don't know!!"

Tequila Lime Cream Sauce and Avocado Enchiladas

{Modified from Mama's Cafe recipe}

Tequila Lime Cream Sauce

• ½ yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves – rough chopped
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup tequila
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 c sauteed mushrooms
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt
• Cumin

In a small pot, add 1 stick butter and chopped onion and garlic.  Cook until onion is translucent.  Next add 1 cup tequila.  Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced by about 75%.  Add to same pot 1 pint of heavy whipping cream. Continue to cook {whisking regularly} until 25% reduced – sauce will begin to thicken {10-15 minutes}.  Pour contents into a strainer*, separate liquid, then return liquid into a bowl or pan. Add juice of 1 lime, stir in mushrooms, cover, and set aside.

*I saved the strained onions and garlic and poured them in to the sauteed veggies. Nice addition!

Avocado Mix

• 3 avocados
• 1/3 cup jumbo lump crab meat
• ¼ red onion chopped
• 1 tomato chopped
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt, pepper, cumin to taste
• 1/3 c sauteed mushrooms

Take 3 ripe avocados {ripe=squeezable, not mushy}.  Cut the avocados in half, carefully remove the seed and scoop the delicious avocado out of the skin with a spoon into a bowl.  Add ¼ red onion finely chopped, 1 plum tomato, chopped, mushrooms, and the juice of ½ lime.  Mash all ingredients until there are no large pieces – add salt, pepper, cumin to taste.

Enchiladas

• White or yellow corn tortillas
• Queso Fresco cheese
• Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
• Avocado mixture
• Tequila Lime Cream Sauce

We used white corn tortillas – flour tortillas don’t work very well, they get mushy.  Lay a tortilla on a flat surface in front of you and scoop a big spoonful of guacamole, lay it down the center of the tortilla, the sprinkle 1 tbsp cream sauce and 1 tbsp of grated Queso Fresco.  Roll it up and place it in the baking dish folded side down.  Continue doing this until the pan is full or guacamole is used up.  Pour the rest of the cream sauce over the enchiladas, top with grated monterey jack cheese, place in a 375° oven until the sauce begins to bubble a bit (maybe 10-15 minutes max).  Remove from oven.  

Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with Queso Fresco Cheese {we went a little overboard on this part- life is short}.  Happy eating!

~~~~~~~

If you're still reading at this point, I'm thoroughly impressed. This was a long post, even I'm tired of writing. Stay tuned for a Saturday post telling you all about the Scotch tasting we're attending tomorrow, and Big Gigantic concert Friday. {It's actually a band, not just a reference to the size of the crowd}. 

Happy hump day... sweet dreams!