When I think of a way to describe fathers, the first word that comes to mind is proud. They are typically strong and silent, but there’s always that identifiable look that you begin to see spread across their face, and you know it’s a glimmer of pride that sometimes leads to a beaming smile.

It’s a recognizable trait that I could sense among all the fathers that are part of this week’s feature story. It was even detectable in their emails and text messages and definitely in the way they wrote their recipes.

They were full of enthusiasm and pride when speaking about their families and children.

As a father, one of their primary responsibilities is putting food on the table. They might not always be the family cook, but when they are, everyone should be ready. The flavors are big, there is passion in the cooking, and what they are making is, of course, the best ever.

So when I saw a picture of Managing Editor Brian Pearson making enchiladas for his family on the same day I was making enchiladas for a party, I felt an enchilada showdown beginning to brew.

Brian and I tape an online video for TylerPaper.com every Tuesday that previews the Wednesday Flavor section. It is posted by Tuesday evening and is typically a funny account of what recipes, topics and foods will be covered in Flavor.

This week in the video, we made our respective enchilada recipes and had an impartial taster give them a try. I’ve also included both recipes so you can decide which enchilada recipe you believe is the best.

The video can be seen on TylerPaper.com and you can vote by emailing food@tylerpaper.com or go to Facebook: Christine Gardner Tyler Paper Food.

After seeing Brian’s enthusiasm and hearing how his family raves over his enchiladas, I didn’t think I had a chance. My recipe is an adaptation from my mother, who isn’t from Texas, and typically used the McCormick enchilada seasoning packet as the base for her sauce. I decided to try making my own seasoning recipe, and after a few tries, came up with an easy sauce recipe composed of various spices that most people have in their pantry. Adjust the chili powder to your own taste, and I think you will be pleased with the results.

Brian had this to say about his enchiladas:

“This represents a combination of enchilada recipes from cookbooks, working in a restaurant and a little place in Buena Vista, Colo., that has some of the planet’s best sour cream chicken enchiladas. They’re inexpensive, easy and fun to make, although it can be a bit messy. They also can be mass-produced and frozen for future culinary pleasure. I start with buying one of those fully cooked chickens like you can find at any Brookshire’s. You can get your standard roasted chicken or be adventurous and get one of the flavored ones. The recipe below makes about 20 enchiladas, depending on the size of the tortilla and volume of goo you roll up into each enchilada.”

 So it’s up to the readers. Check out the recipes and let us know who should own the enchilada bragging rights in the Tyler Morning Telegraph newsroom.

 

Brian Pearson’s Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

 

INGREDIENTS

1 roasted chicken

1 20-count package flour tortillas

1 medium onion (Those sweet Noondays work best!)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 8-ounce can chopped green chilies

2 cups sour cream

4 cups mixed shredded cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack mix)

1 jalapeño

1 bag pine nuts

28-ounce can enchilada sauce

 

DIRECTIONS 

Pluck all the meat off the chicken, make sure it’s nice and shredded and put it in a huge bowl. Finely chop up onion and jalapeño. Combine the onion, jalapeño, salt, pepper, chilies, sour cream and pine nuts with the chicken. Toss about a third to half of the cheese in the bowl and mix it up. Put about half the enchilada sauce in a separate bowl. Get a pair of casserole dishes ready. Lightly coat the bottoms with olive oil or butter. Now comes the assembly line. Take a tortilla, dunk it in the bowl with the enchilada sauce, use your hand to squeegee the excess, grab a fistful of goo, plop it into the tortilla, roll it up and place seam down on the casserole dish. Repeat this and line them up side by side in the casserole dish. Once you’ve got a layer of enchiladas, add just a little enchilada sauce on top, enough to coat exposed tortilla, but you don’t want it to be soup. Then top with a layer of remaining cheese. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted on top.

 

Christine Gardner’s Beef & Cheese Enchiladas

 

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef (93/7)

1 package flour tortillas (10 or 12 count)

2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese

1 Tablespoon each of sweet paprika, ground cumin and powdered cheddar cheese (look near the popcorn if not in the spice aisle)

1 teaspoon each of chili powder, black pepper and cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 medium yellow onion, small dice

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 cups tomato sauce

2 cups unsalted vegetable stock (prefer Kitchen Basics)

 

DIRECTIONS

Brown the ground beef, drain excess fat and set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine all of the spices and seasonings, including the cornstarch. Stir to combine. In a saucepot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir in the spice mix. Stir until spices are completely incorporated. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside to cool before assembling enchiladas. Stir a cup of sauce into the ground beef. Add a cup of sauce to the bottom of a 9-by-13 baking dish. To assemble, hold flat a tortilla. Using a tablespoon, spread meat down the middle of the tortilla, add a generous sprinkle of cheese and a spoonful of sauce. Roll tightly and place seam side down in a baking dish. Continue until you run out of meat or tortillas. Should make 10 to 12 enchiladas. Spoon another cup of sauce, or more, over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with about a cup of cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and let bake for a few more minutes uncovered. Serve immediately. Can be made night before and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake. If freezing, do not bake, cover tightly. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bake covered for about an hour at 325 degrees or until warmed through and sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Check for doneness and bake for longer if necessary.