The other day I mentioned that we rarely have beef in our house, eating mostly chicken, pork and fish. It’s not that I don’t like beef, I do, but I’ve come to the conclusion that red meat is less healthy than chicken and other white meats. I’m sure people have different opinions about the matter, but I know how I feel after eating beef as opposed to chicken. While beef tends to bog me down (depending how it’s prepared), I rarely have that reaction after eating chicken, pork or fish. I steam a lot of my food, but I rarely cook beef this way because the fat content tends to make a mess of my steamer.

 

That said (and the dichotomy continues), today’s lunch was a dish included in a newsletter from Campbell’s Kitchen last week:

Cheesy Enchilada Stack

1 LB ground beef

1 jar (17.5 oz.) Pace® Enchilada Sauce

6 flour tortillas (10")

2 C shredded Cheddar cheese

1 can (16 oz.) refried beans

2 cans (4 oz. each) green chiles, drained

Chopped green onions

 

Cook the ground beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add 1/2 cup enchilada sauce. Spray baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray; place 1 tortilla on baking sheet. Top with 1/3 of beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with 1 tortilla, 1/2 of refried beans, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce; 1 can chiles and 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Top with 1 tortilla, remaining beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining tortilla. Cover with foil. Bake at 400° F for 40 minutes or until hot; uncover. Top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and onions. Bake 5 min. Cut into wedges. Serves 8.

I made the dumb mistake of not looking at the recipe closely. Instead of making one stack, I ended up with two. I thought one stack might be more like an appetizer, not a real meal, so I set out creating two gigantic portions, stacked and stuffed to the rafters. I also mixed up the cheddar cheese with grated mozzarella, and I left out the green chilies (because I didn’t have any in my cupboard). While the meal was delicious, my husband only ate half of his, and I only managed to peck away at the mere edges of the stacked tortillas. We have enough leftover for another day or two, although I think I’ll let my husband have my remainders.

 

Here we are, hours later, and I feel tired and bogged down. Will I ever learn? Not likely. In another few months I’ll probably whip up another beef dish, enjoy it, and then suffer the consequences.