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Crock-pot Bean and Spinach Enchilada Casserole

May 29, 2014 milabassett 6 Comments

It’s been some time since my last post: after posting regularly for a couple of months I realized blogging is time consuming. If you have a blog, you knew that already. And if you don’t have a blog– you know now. And though I enjoy blogging, I also enjoy a whole lot of other things, and then there is a whole lot of things, not necessarily enjoyable, that  have to be done. Less time online directly translates into more things getting done off-line, and I am fine with that for now.

One thing that I do love about blogging is the exchange of useful ideas. Today’s great idea is this crock pot spinach and bean enchiladas. bean and spinach enchiladas crock pot

via Morganize with Me

 

The idea is not mine, I borrowed it from Morgan (she has a lot of other great ideas on her blog, so be sure to check it out when you have time).

Three things make this recipe appealing to me: 1) it can be easily modified based on what you have on hand, and on your preferences, 2) as far as enchiladas go, this one has a higher ratio of filling to tortillas, which is a plus in my book, and finally 3) It is done in a crock-pot– this one is self-explanatory, right?

You will find the original recipe on Morgan’s blog. Here is my version:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef*

1 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 15.5 ounce can re-fried beans, (I use no-fat kind)

1 16-ounce tub fresh baby spinach**

1 cup frozen corn

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cups grated cheddar cheese***

3 cups enchilada sauce

9 6-inch corn tortillas

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

 Tips:

* Whenever I brown ground beef for a dish, I make sure to make extra, portion it out in freezer bags, label and stash in the freezer. I do the same with chicken. It has become a standard way for me to come up with quick dinners during the week.

** I used to cook with frozen spinach until I tried using fresh spinach, lightly sauteed and drained. I will not go back to frozen kind– the texture of fresh spinach is so much better. I don’t mean those  huge bunches that require triple washing though (too time consuming), but the pre-washed kind in a plastic tub.

*** If you use good quality cheese and grate it yourself, you will need LESS cheese (=lighter dish) to achieve great taste. I like Tillamook brand.

Method:

1. Brown the ground beef, breaking the clumps. Move to a plate.

2. Saute spinach in a little bit of oil until it wilts (it only takes a few minutes). Move to a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as possible by pressing it against the sides of the colander with a wooden spoon.

3. Combine the beef, spinach, and the rest of the ingredients, except for 1 cup of cheddar.

4. Spread 1 1/2 cups of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a crock pot.

5. Spread three tortillas and add 1/3 of the bean mixture, layer and repeat two more times.

6. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheddar. Cover and cook until heated through, on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

The entire family loved this recipe, including the picky 7 year old. I did not take a picture because it turned out a little mushy due to the fact that we let it cook longer than specified in the directions: we got distracted. We were busy doing this:

IMG_3155

That giant cup of tea was not gonna drink itself.

IMG_3158

After the tea and dessert at La Madeleine cafe were done (a great Mother and Daughter date idea) , we headed back home and gobbled up that bean and spinach enchilada (with beef). It was that good!

 

 

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Crock pot, Dinner, Recipes crock-pot enchiladas, quick dinners, spinach and bean enchiladas

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Comments

  1. Amy @ Ms. Toody Goo Shoes says

    May 30, 2014 at 1:37 am

    Sounds really good, Mila! I would never have thought to put tortillas in a crockpot. Love your “tea” date!

    Reply
    • mila bassett says

      May 30, 2014 at 2:12 am

      Amy, tortillas worked really well, leftovers also reheated very well. Kids were fighting over the leftovers:) I think it is important to not let them over-cook.
      My daughter was so into the French cafe theme, the icing on the cake was the sign “Mademoiselles” on the ladies bathroom door:)

      Reply
  2. MorganizewithMe says

    May 30, 2014 at 11:50 pm

    Love how you added some variation to this yummy dish, I’ll have to try it with your changes. Sweet that you had time with your girl. 🙂

    Reply
    • mila bassett says

      May 31, 2014 at 1:54 am

      Thanks Morgan! Have a great weekend:)

      Reply
  3. martha@ simple-nourished-living says

    July 27, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    This sounds delicious. And healthy. I’m always on the lookout for easy healthy WW friendly slow cooker recipes. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • mila bassett says

      July 27, 2014 at 11:46 pm

      Hi Martha, thanks for stopping by! I have made it several times already- I like the fact that the ratio of filling to tortillas is higher compared to traditional enchiladas. And adding spinach bumps its nutritional value a notch. I hope you like it.

      Reply

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