Breakfast Enchiladas

 A couple of weeks ago, after a busy morning of helping Hubby in his our upholstery shop, I hadn't even started to think about what we would have for lunch that day, let alone get any grocery shopping done.  So I headed to the kitchen to see what I could find.  I wasn't feeling very inspired so just grabbed some eggs, a tomato, an onion and a couple serrano chilies, and set out to make Huevos a la Mexicana.

Huevos a la Mexicana is one of my favorite go-to meals for breakfast or dinner, but I wasn't really in the mood to have them for lunch, no matter how delicious.

I stood in front of my stove wondering what I could do to jazz up the Huevos a la Mexicana even more.  I opened the fridge and saw that I had some leftover enchilada sauce and corn tortillas.  Suddenly I had one of those cartoon-like moments where you can actually see the wheels turning in your head.  My idea was to turn my Huevos a la Mexicana into Huevos Rancheros, using enchilada sauce instead of a tomato salsa.  It sounded like a genius idea in my head, but when I went to plate it...it looked like a hot mess.   A very delicious hot mess, according to my 12-year old son, Nicky.

By this time, the wheels in my head were spinning at full steam.  I had the right combination of flavors, I just needed to work on the presentation.  And then, I had what Hope (my 14-year old daughter) calls the most brilliant idea I've EVER had.  I'd turn those Huevos Rancheros into Enchiladas.  Scrambled Egg Enchiladas.  No, wait.  Breakfast Enchiladas!  (That you can enjoy anytime of day!)

And a new family favorite was born.  



Breakfast Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 3 dried ancho chilies
• 2 dried guajillo chilies
• 1 dried chipotle chile (optional)
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 to 2 serrano chilies*, chopped
• 8 eggs, slightly beaten
• 12 to 16 corn tortillas
• Queso fresco, crumbled or grated (or your favorite cheese)

Directions:
For the Enchilada Sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water and the dried chilies to a boil over medium heat.  Remove from heat and let soak for about 20 minutes or until the dried chilies have softened.  Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies and puree in a blender until smooth with the water they were cooked in.  Pour the puree into a wide saucepan.  Reheat and season with salt.  *The dried ancho and guajillo chilies do not produce a lot of heat, but the dried chipotles DO.  So you can omit the dried chipotle if you prefer a milder sauce.   



For the Huevos a la Mexicana:  These eggs are called "a la Mexicana" because they are made with chopped red tomato, white onion and green chilies that are representative of the colors of the Mexican flag.   *Now if you're worried about the heat, you can substitute chopped green bell pepper for the serrano chilies without sacrificing the flavor.



While the chilies are soaking, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the chopped tomato, onion and sliced chilies for about a minute.  Add the eggs and continue to cook until the eggs are completely cooked.



Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in another skillet.  Fry the corn tortillas, one at a time, in the oil for about 30 seconds per side.  Dip each tortilla in the Enchilada Sauce.



Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Huevos a la Mexicana onto each tortilla.  Top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese.  Gently fold the tortillas in half and transfer to a serving plate.



Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the Enchilada Sauce over the enchiladas and serve with Refried Beans.  Enjoy!!!







Sharing this recipe with The Food of the Month Club & The Lent Club.