Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Before I get in to the food,  I have to ask for some help, advice, wisdom and possibly someone to commiserate with on this.  I made these enchiladas something like 6 weeks ago.  But I am just now blogging about them.  Why is cranking out a simple post so difficult?  I have the hardest time finding the time, or maybe it’s making the time, to blog.  I have three kids (ages 5,3  and 1) who I stay home with and I think that’s a pretty good excuse, but there are people out there blogging up a storm with young kids at home.  On the days I do write up a post it takes me forever if I do it while the kids are awake, and if I do it while they’re asleep I don’t get the regular housekeeping stuff done.   Do any of you have any tips for amateur stay-at-home mom blogging with kids?  Do you just get up early?  Stay up late?  Help a girl out.  I cannot figure out how to balance being a mom and blogger.

Now on to the important stuff!

Every now and then we enjoy a proper, satisfying breakfast at our house.  It’s almost always on a Saturday since that is the only day of the week we’re all home for breakfast together and don’t have to rush to get anywhere.  Someday I’d like to be that great mom, getting up earlier than everyone and having a lovely table full of pancakes and eggs and bacon and hot coffee ready for the family.  But I just do not know if that will ever happen!  Thankfully this breakfast casserole is assembled the night before, so as long as I can get up early enough to preheat the oven and put the pan in and bake them for 40 minutes we can enjoy a hot breakfast together without the stress.

Breakfast Enchiladas

This recipe is from Fine Cooking and, like most of their recipes, does not disappoint.  There is quite a bit of prep and you will dirty a few pans in the process of getting these fridge ready.  I’d recommend making these when you have some guests in town (preferably ones who like to help in the kitchen!) and getting some help with the chopping and what-not the night before.  Cooking is almost always more fun when you have people to help you and keep you company in the kitchen.

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This is an easily adapted recipe if you want or need to leave something out like the onion, bell pepper, potato or even the chorizo (but only leave that out if you absolutely have to cause it’s yummy).  Just be sure to replace it with something else, like black beans, more eggs, vegetarian chorizo, etc.  I thought the proportions in the recipe were good and especially loved the sauce, which is very easy and well worth making.  You could use it as a sauce for chicken enchiladas or just on tacos, too.

I divided these in to 2 pans and baked one the first morning and saved the other to bake a couple days later so that they would be freshly baked.  Of course if you’re serving a crowd I’d recommend baking them all in one big  pan, but if you’re serving a small group dividing them up is a good option. I didn’t try freezing them, but it might work to do that.  Let me know if you try it.

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Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed in warm water
  • 1 medium jalapeño
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 large clove garlic, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream (You could use 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup fat-free half and half)

Enchiladas

  • 1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
  • 1pound fresh, raw chorizo, casings removed and meat crumbled
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 1 small can diced green chiles (4 ounces) , drained, optional
  • 6 large eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 16 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 4 ounces Monterey Jack, grated (1 cup)
  • Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

Sauce

  1. Put the tomatillos and the jalapeño in a medium sized saucepan and add water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, turning the tomatillos occasionally, until they’re brownish-green all over and very tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. Drain and place the tomatillos in a bowl, cut the jalapeno in half and add half of it to the bowl.  Use a hand blender to blend together.  You could also do this in a blander.  Add the cilantro, garlic, cumin, and 2 teaspoons of salt and purée.  Taste and blend in the other jalapeno half for spicier sauce. Add the cream and pulse to blend. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Enchiladas

  1. Cook the potato: Boil water in a saucepan and add the potato,cook for a few minutes until just tender.
  2. Cook the chorizo: Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the chorizo.  Cook for 5-8 minutes until cooked through.  Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Leave some of the oil in the pan.
  3. Cook the onion and pepper: Heat the oil from the chorizo in the pan over medium heat and add the onion and pepper.  Cook until beginning to brown and becoming tender, 5 minutes or so.  Stir in the potato and chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes, add in the green chiles if using, and then remove from the heat.
  4. Cook the eggs: Whisk the eggs, 1 tsp. salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat and cook until the foam subsides. Add the eggs and cook without stirring until they begin to set on the bottom, about 20 seconds. Draw a wooden spoon across the pan a few times to form large curds. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are barely set and still quite moist, 1 to 2 minutes—do not cook through. Gently add the eggs to the chorizo mixture and then gently stir in 1 cup of the sauce.
  5. Assemble the enchiladas: Heat the tortillas in between two slightly damp paper towels (or in a tortilla warmer) so that they are flexible.  Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.  Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the egg mixture, roll and arrange seam side down in the pan.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.   Refrigerate the sauce as well.
  6. Bake the enchiladas:  In the morning preheat the oven to 350°F.  Pour the sauce onto the enchiladas, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned.  Serve with sour cream and extra cilantro.