This is a sad post for us here in Boston...but we don't need to talk about it. We still love the Patriots and always will...

ANYWAYS! We will talk about this delicious meal that helped lift our spirits as the clock ticked away. This was our first stab at homemade Enchiladas.

This recipe took time, a lot of time but the end results were amazing. The smells of the chicken that simmered in the pepper sauce for 4 hours and the baked cheese was worth it.

Enchilada Sauce

WHAT YOU NEED:

3 cups water
2 ounces dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 ounce dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground cumin

WHAT TO DO:

In a heavy saucepan, bring water, chiles and the cinnamon stick (if using) to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chiles are tender. Drain the chiles, discard the cinnamon stick (if using) and reserve the cooking liquid in a measuring cup and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato, garlic, salt, oregano, smoked paprika, and cumin and cook for about 5 minutes more.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the chiles plus 2 cups of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine strainer and discard the pulp. Add more cooking liquid to thin the sauce to your liking.

Heat the remaining oil in the same sauté pan over high heat. Slowly add the sauce being careful to avoid the splatters. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to low and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to use or freeze flat in gallon freezer bags for up to 3 months.

Shredded Chicken

WHAT TO DO: Add enough water and chicken stock (50/50) to just cover the chicken. While the water is heating up, add all the powdered seasonings and bay leaves and boil chicken. When the chicken is done boiling (floats), remove and let cool enough to pull chicken (1" x 3" chunks) - leave water boiling while you do this. Discard skin and bones, throw the chicken back into the pot with all the canned ingredients & cilantro. Simmer without a lid for 3-4 hours or until the liquid has mostly cooked off, stirring occasionally as needed. Leave some of the liquid - this will keep the flavor better as leftovers. If you plan to eat it all in one sitting, reduce liquid to desired consistency; otherwise, drain what you need for serving and store the rest. Best served on a flour tortilla as a taco with your favorite toppings but also good as enchiladas. Like we said, your house will smell AMAZING!

INGREDIENTS: