I Don’t Like It! Part 2

In today’s post, I would like to share one of my family’s all-time favorite “go-to” dinner solutions with you.

We have a variety of eating needs in our family and one VERY picky eater. Additionally, like many families, we have busy schedules with work, school, homework, and various social and extracurricular activities. So our most successful meals accommodate all of these factors. This meal is not only easy to prepare, versatile, and simple, but it also provides an opportunity for all family members to participate in preparing it.

Enchiladas, one of our favorite family “go-to” dishes is simple to prepare and satisfies us all. The secret to this dish is not in the recipe but rather in the preparation of the dish which can also stretch this dish into two or three meals.

We create a DIY enchilada “bar” where every family member can select their favorite fillings and make the “perfect” enchilada for themselves. We begin by preparing  2 base fillings, a meat filling, and a veggie filling. We like ground chicken and roasted veggies. We season the ground chicken and the veggies similarly, using ground chile molido, ground cumin, and garlic salt. Next, we grate cheddar and pepper jack cheese. We also use our favorite enchilada sauce and corn tortillas. Once all of the ingredients are prepared and placed alongside a large enchilada dish each family member takes a turn rolling their own enchilada using the ingredients they desire (a tip for rolling corn tortillas is to put them in the microwave for 10 seconds or less before rolling). I like to fill my enchiladas with veggies and cheese, my daughter likes cheese only, and my husband likes everything in his. Once the enchilada dish is filled, we bake at 350 degrees until the cheese and sauce begin to bubble.

We then use the leftover fillings and corn tortillas to make tacos. My son likes his tacos with meat only, and my daughter likes hers with meat and cheese. If I have large flour tortillas, beans, and rice we can also make burritos. Add any extra enchilada sauce to a burrito and it becomes a “wet” burrito. Additionally(or for day 2 or 3), we use corn chips and leftover filling and toppings (lettuce, salsa, guacamole, avocados, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.) to make DIY taco “bowls”.

The true beauty in thIs DIY enchilada, taco, or burrito “bar” or “bowl” concept is that the preparation of each part is quick and easy and everyone gets exactly what they desire. And most importantly, our family gets to share a delicious, enjoyable family meal.