Enchilada Sauce (Casa Melinda)

4 cups water

1 /4 cup tomato paste

1  1/2 ounce butter or margarine (3 TBS)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon paprika

1 Tablespoon beef base

Dash cayenne

Add all ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil.

Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1 cup water.  Add to boiling sauce till thick.  You may need a little extra.

Casa Melinda Salsa

  • 1 1/2 or 2 stalks celery
  • 8 bell peppers
  • 12 yellow chilies
  • 8 yellow onions
  • 10 tomatoes (med)
  • 6 cups tomato past
  • 8 quarts water 10-12 tablespoons spices

Mix water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Add spices. Boil till it darkens. Add veggies. Simmer one hour. Makes 2 gallons.

Cheese Enchiladas

SAUCE

4 cups water

1 /4 cup tomato paste

1  1/2 ounce butter or margarine (3 TBS)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon paprika

1 Tablespoon beef base

Dash cayenne

Add all ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil.

Mix 1/2 cup flour with 1 cup water.  Add to boiling sauce till thick.  You may need a little extra.

Lightly fry corn tortillas in oil.  (about 15 tortillas)

Coat bottom of glass pan with sauce.

Pour some sauce on a plate.  Put 1 tortilla in sauce.  Flip.  Add grated cheese.  Roll. Place in 9X13 pan.  Repeat.  You may want another smaller pan too.

Pour remaining sauce over tortillas in pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

We usually do 1  1/2 times recipe for our family and do more shells and use two pans.  It just depends how saucy you like it.