Beefy Cheesy Enchiladas

Ingredients:
3 pounds ground beef
2 Tablespoons garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce (for use with beef mix)
1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
6 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
6 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 red or green peppers, finely chopped
36 (6-inch) tortillas
48 ounces mild salsa or picante sauce (for topping)
4-1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions: In a stock pan over medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain and return to pan. Over medium heat add garlic, cumin, chili power, and salsa; stir to combine. When mixture is heated, add cream cheese chunks, stirring until melted. Stir in Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and peppers. Remove from heat and set aside. Assemble enchiladas by placing 1/2 cup beef-and-cheese mixture onto each tortilla and rolling. Place 6 enchiladas in each container.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down to cling to food. Package salsa in snack bags, 1 cup per meal. Package cheese in snack bags, 3/4 cup per meal. Place a package of salsa and cheese in each container and cover. Freeze.

Reheating instructions: Defrost in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove lid, salsa, cheese and plastic wrap. Spread salsa over enchiladas and cover loosely with foil to prevent drying. Bake until bubbly around edges and hot in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 36 servings

Nutrition information per one enchilada: 432 calories, 23 grams protein, 29 grams fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 95 milligrams cholesterol, 771 milligrams sodium

For a chicken version, substitute shredded cooked chicken for the ground beef.

Recipe Source: Cooking Among Friends, Meal Planning and Preparation Delightfully Simplified by Mary Tennant and Becki Visser (Cooking Among Friends)Reprinted with permission.