By: Delia Perez Atherton Resident

When I was a teenager, my sisters and I helped my mom make enchiladas, and how we hated to help. It entailed frying each tortilla, then putting them in hot enchilada sauce, and putting the ingredients in each one – either chicken, hamburger, or meat, or grated cheese. Then rolling each into a cylinder – hot, hot fingers – very hot! Then someone invented the Enchilada Casserole! Thank you – whoever you are! Here is my recipe for it:

Enchilada Casserole

1 doz. Corn Tortillas

Vegetable Oil

Diced Chicken/Cooked Hamburger

Shredded Cheese

Finely Diced Onions (Optional)

Enchilada Sauce (Juanita’s Enchilada Sauce)

Diced Olives

Sour Cream for Serving

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut the corn tortillas in 2 inch pieces and put in hot grease and fry until lightly toasted. Place the fried tortillas on paper towels to absorb some of the grease, and then place them in the casserole dish. Then layer your choice of chicken, hamburger, or cheese, a little enchilada sauce, and diced olives. Finely diced onions can be added if desired. Keep going until you use all your ingredients. Have plenty of sauce as your pour the rest of the sauce and remaining cheese on the top layer. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until sauce and cheese are bubbling. Serve with dollops of sour cream.