White Bean Enchiladas

I made this for the first time awhile ago and loved it.  Then I promptly forgot about it.  You'd think it was because I really didn't love it that much.  But, I did.  I reeeaaally did.  My mind is like a sieve these days. Seriously.  Names are the worst.  They are so carefully absorbed when I first hear them, but almost instantly leave me completely.  I even have trouble coming up with the names of people I've known for a long time.  Jamey feeds me fish oil like there's no tomorrow and, still, I forget this, that and the other thing.  I blame it squarely on having children and being a mother.  There is just not room for everything.

Back to the recipe.  Ha.  I remembered.  I surprise myself sometimes.

I recently came across it and was delighted to find it.   I added the ingredients I needed to our grocery list and wrote "White Bean Enchiladas" on my meal idea list on the fridge.  You know, so I wouldn't forget.  The funny thing was that, as I was making it, something didn't seem as I remembered, but this is life so I brushed it off until I was finished putting the enchiladas together and they were sitting on the counter waiting until Jamey called to tell me when he'd be home (it's different every night).  It hit me what was different.  When I made it the first time, I totally misread/misunderstood the ingredients and bought green salsa instead of enchilada sauce.  Yes, that was it.  The enchiladas were green last time and this time they were brownish-red.

Not that it mattered.  We liked them very much both ways.  If you twisted my arm and I had to choose?  I'd go with the green salsa version.  But, you decide.  I think you'll be very happy either way.

White Bean Enchiladas (Adapted from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2001- such a good year for Cooking Light)  Makes 10 large enchiladas.  Your kids (and possibly even your husband) won't even know they're eating beans.

4 tbsp. sour cream
2 16-ounce cans white beans (I used Great Northern), rinsed and drained
1- 1 1/2 cups shredded blend of cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
4-ounce can chopped green chilies (I use mild)
4 tbsp. fresh, chopped cilantro, divided, optional
2 tbsp. sliced green onions, optional
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 15-ounce jar/can of EITHER (but NOT BOTH) enchilada sauce or green salsa
water
10 8-inch flour tortillas

Combine the sour cream and white beans in a food processor until smooth.  Stir in half of the cheese, all of the chilies, onions, half of the cilantro and all of the cumin.  Set aside.

In a large non-stick skillet, combine 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce (or green salsa) with about 1/3 a cup of water.  Heat until warm.  One at a time, drop a tortilla into the sauce mixture and coat it on both sides.  Lay it on a plate and fill it with 1/4-1/3 cup of the bean filling and lay it seam side down in a 9x13 inch pan coated with cooking spray.  Repeat, making more sauce/water mixture as needed, but trying to reserve about 1/3 of the full strength sauce.  Top the enchiladas with the remaining (full strength) sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Top with remaining cilantro, if using.

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