Friday Favorites 3!

Happy Friday, all!

I am sooooooooooo excited to share this week's Friday Favorite with you because it has become a...well, a favorite of mine. :)

I made this vegetarian recipe for the family and it was a huge hit. Seriously. It's scratch-your-eyes-out good. How often can you say that about a vegetarian recipe? (It's probably because of the cheese that's added to it, but who cares?)
Deal with it.


Vegetable Enchiladas

for the sauce:

• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp. chili powder (I am a spice pansy, so I started with 2 tbsp and added more from there)
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• ½-¾ cup water
• Salt and pepper

for the filling:

• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 (8 oz.) zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups enchilada sauce (above), divided
• 1 cup finely crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup drained chopped canned green chilies
• Salt and pepper

for assembly:

• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Lime wedges, for serving

To make the enchilada sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

To make the filling, preheat the oven to 450˚ F. Transfer half of the black beans to a bowl and mash with a fork until almost completely smooth. Set aside. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until slightly softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook just until tender, 3-5 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mashed beans and remaining whole beans and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, the queso fresco, cilantro and green chilies. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, briefly microwave the tortillas until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds. Place 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes more.

Honestly, it looks like a lot of steps, but it's easy-peasy to make. I actually couldn't stop licking the bowl, I thought the filling was so tasty!!
PS. I used feta cheese, since that was all I could find.
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In other exciting news, my new romance SUNNY DAYS FOR SAM just got put up on Goodreads and now is also up for a Goodreads giveaway.
If you're on Goodreads, don't forget to enter for a chance to win or add to My Shelf!
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Whew! And that's all from me today.

Have a great weekend!!