Easy Come, Easy Go

Now, when I say "easy come, easy go," I mean that these recipes will be so easy to make and they will disappear just as easily.

Recently I found two recipes that I was tempted to try simply because they had so few ingredients and they were so easy to make.

As a mom, I'm always looking for easy recipes.  Some easy recipes sound too good to be true.  Some of them don't measure up once you're done...they really were too good to be true.  But every now and then, you'll find a recipe that is good and true to its word!

This time around, I found two of those recipes!

Cheesy Bean Enchiladas and Famous Queso.  My husband and oldest son love queso and tortilla chips.  And I figured that the enchiladas sounded pretty kid-friendly, so I gave it a try.  Basically, easiest recipes ever and a very pleasant outcome.  Both are Kraft recipes.  I hope you like them!

Cheesy Bean Enchiladas (original recipe)

Ingredients:

1 can (16 oz) Taco Bell Home Originals Refried Beans
1 jar (16 oz) Taco Bell Home Originals Thick 'N Chunky Salsa, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz) Kraft Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Divided
1/4 cup chopped onion
8 flour tortillas (6 inch)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix beans, 1/2 cup of the salsa, 1 cup of the cheese, and the onion until well-blended.

Spread remaining 1 cup salsa onto bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish.  Spoon 1/4 cup of the bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place, seam sides down, over salsa in baking dish.  Top with the remaining salsa and cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe Notes: Prepare as directed, except for baking.  Cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours.  When ready to serve, bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until heated through.  You may also substitute green onion slices for the chopped onion.

Nutrition information (2 enchiladas per serving): 580 calories, 25 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 2130 mg sodium, 53 g carbohydrate, 8 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar, 24 g protein.

Source: Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-bean-enchiladas-57263.aspx

Cheesy Bean Enchiladas (my version)

Ingredients:

2 cans Rosarita No Fat Refried Beans
4 cups salsa, divided
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
12 uncooked flour tortillas (I used Tortilla Land brand)

Directions:

Lightly brown flour tortillas according to package instructions.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix beans, 1 cup of salsa, and 1/2 cup cheese until well blended.

Spread 1 cup salsa evenly onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place, seam sides down, over salsa in baking dish.  Top with the remaining salsa and cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Nutrition information: 307 calories per enchilada.

Source: Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheesy-bean-enchiladas-57263.aspx

Notes: I didn't know if just one can of refried beans would be substantial enough for my whole family, so I doubled it and I increased the salsa.  I omitted the onion because the salsa already had onions in it and I felt like it was unecessary--especially for only 1/4 cup.  I decreased the cheese.  In the future, I would probably use a Colby-Monterey Jack blend instead because I felt like the sharp cheddar cheese didn't melt as well.  But these had a great flavor and they were really kid-friendly.  But they are universal enough that adults will like them too.  You can top them with some sour cream, cilantro, additional salsa, and hot sauce, if you like.

Famous Queso Dip

Ingredients:

1 lb. (16 oz) Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 can (10 oz) Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained

Directions:

Mix ingredients in a 2-qt. microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high 5 min. or until Velveeta is completely melted, stirring after 3 min.

Makes 24 servings (2 tbsp. per serving).

Nutrition information: 60 calories, 4 g fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar, 3 g protein,

Source: Kraftrecipes.com http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/famous-queso-dip-51301.aspx

Notes: Seriously, it's as easy as that.  And it will be pretty much the best traditional queso you've ever had.  You can also use Queso Blanco Velveeta Cheese (which is what I used) or Mild Mexican Velveeta with Jalapeno Peppers in place of the regular Velveeta.