Enchilada Sauce and other Knock-offs

 Good morning.  There seemed to be some interest in the enchilada sauce I canned last week.

It is very easy to make.  You can use fresh tomatoes (as that is what the recipe called for) or you can use canned - whole, diced, crushed or add in plain tomato sauce.  What ever you have you can use.

It calls for the sauce to be very chunky - I used the stick blender on mine as I wanted it pretty smooth like the kind you buy.

ENCHILADA SAUCE - for canning

12 C of tomatoes (with a cup or so of water added)

Lemon Juice

MIX TOGETHER IN A SEPERATE BOWL

6 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Cook up your tomatoes until soft and smooshy and some of the liquid is cooked off!  Like I said I blended mine up to a sauce consistency.  I also ONLY added about 1/2 C of water to mine - as they were juicy.

ADD 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice to each JAR and then add 2 tsp. of spice mix to each JAR (pints).  Add in tomatoes -   leave 1/2" clearance.  Clean tops and add lids and water bath 40 minutes after boil begins.

That is it!!!!!!

If using half pints - adjust the lemon and spice mixture added to each jar accordingly.

This was 2 batches.  So easy.  I did the 2 half pints, as I had a little left of tomatoes and spice for each batch.

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I mentioned I made a BIG MAC type sandwich at home last week.

2 all beef patties, lettuce, cheese, NO pickle for me (don't like on sandwiches), added tomato and "special sauce".

My sauce was  a mixture of Thousand Island dressing, pickle relish and a squirt of catsup.  Tasted just like McD's sauce!  Just mix together till you get the right taste!  

Simple and homemade!!!!

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I hade a 'poor mans' Philly beef and cheese and baked beans on day as well.

BAKED BEANS - was a little can of Bushes beans - a little brown sugar, a nice squirt of catsup and some onion powder.  Tasted pretty darn good  jazzed up.  Not like homemade made but sure better than just emptying a can!!!

I got these little individual cans on clearance a while back for .69 each.  Use what you have and jazz it up a little.  

PHILLY BEEF AND CHEESE

I used lean ground beef.  Add beef and sliced peppers (from freezer) and some sliced onion and I even added a few frozen mushrooms to pan.  Seasoned and let it all cook together.  Drained fat.  Gave a good dash of Worcestershire sauce and a good dash of Italian dressing.  Let it all simmer together so flavors meld together.  Perfect!

I placed on open face hamburger buns (what I had) and topped with Swiss cheese.

Sure made for one tasty and hearty sandwich.

So there you go.  An easy-peasy canning recipe.  And a couple knock-offs I made for dinner.  Some days I see something on a commercial or a show and it just sounds good.  I figure I can use what I have and get close to the same results.

We all get into the mode that we want something different - just experiment a little.

Hope this gives someone some ideas.  Use what you have and have fun!

ENJOY!