If you are at all like me, and your life is as unpredictable as mine is, it’s really important for you to have meals prepared ahead of time for those days when none of your plans go your way.  My family’s schedule can be tilted out of kilter (and more often than not, it is!) in the blink of an eye.  It is those times when I realize that my day isn’t going to allow me the time nor the luxury of cooking what I thought I was going to cook, and fast-food or store-bought frozen foods are never an option because most of it isn’t real food anyway!  That’s when I know it’s time to take out one of the pre-made grain, gluten, dairy free enchilada specialties that I keep on hand for just such occasions!

One of my favorite meals to make ahead of time, especially for a larger group, is my enchilada recipe.  They can be prepared and frozen pre-baked for an easy pull-out-last-minute meal.  My grain, gluten, dairy free enchiladas are savory and the perfect hearty meal to take from the freezer to the oven to the table in just 45 minutes.

Make Ahead Grain, Gluten, Free Enchiladas

Ingredients:

(20)  6″  tortillas,

3 cups enchilada sauce

1 cup diced onion

1 whole cooked chicken, shredded OR 2 lbs. ground beef

cheese (optional)

Chopped Cilantro

Directions:

1. Pour enchilada sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish, enough to coat the bottom of the pan so that the tortillas won’t stick.
2. Take a tortilla and spread enchilada sauce over the face of the tortilla.
3. Place some onion, cooked beef or shredded chicken, and cheese (optional) down the center of the tortilla – enough to leave room to roll up the tortilla.  For the 6″ tortillas you may just be able to fold them gently in half to look a little bit like an ’empanada’.
4. Place the rolled tortilla into the baking dish.  Repeat until the baking dish is full of filled, rolled tortillas.  With 6″ tortillas you can fit about 18.
5. After the baking dish is full, gently pour more enchilada sauce over the tortillas to cover them nicely.  (You can top with cheese if you are using it).  Sprinkle a little more diced onion over the top.
6. At this point you can wrap the enchilada pan and place in the freezer for later use.
7. If you choose to eat them the same night, bake them in an oven at 350 F for 30 min.
8. Out of the freezer you can bake the enchiladas at 350 F for approximately 45 – 50 min.
9. Once you pull the enchilada pan out of the oven, you can drizzle more sauce over the top.
10. Top with avocado slices, cilantro, guacamole, pico de gallo (Costa Rican chimmichurri), and/or sour cream (made from raw milk, of course!)

I usually make 2 pans, one that is dairy free for those of us who are grain and dairy free, and they are still really yummy and filling – the sauce flavors and other toppings of your choosing bring out all that you need to be satisfied!

If you wish to share this recipe, please provide the link back to this recipe here on my website wherever you may share it. If you make changes to the recipe, I ask that you rewrite the recipe in your own words as well as provide a link back to this recipe giving credit as the original recipe that you adapted from. Thank you for your integrity and support! (Plus, I would love to know what changes you make in your own creativity and flavor palates so that we can all benefit from each other!)