• Preheat. Preheat oven to 375 °F
• Prepare. Gather and measure all ingredients.
• Onions and Garlic. Chop onions and garlic (fine diced for filling and rough chopped for sauce).
  1 large sweet onion, rough chopped ~1 cup for sauce, 2 cloves garlic, rough chopped for sauce, 1 cup chopped onion (1 large onion) for meat, 2 teaspoons garlic, (2 cloves) chopped and pressed for meat

Enchilada Sauce

• Oil. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or large pan over medium low heat.
  2 tablespoons olive oil
• Tomatoes. To the skillet add tomatoes, rough chopped onions, garlic, and salt.
  48 ounces assorted cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Cook. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Next... While the tomatoes cook...

Beef Filling

• Mix. Mix the ground beef, onions, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
  2 lbs ground beef, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground ancho chili, 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Oil. Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or large pan over medium low heat. Add ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, breaking up the meat into crumbles. About 10 minutes.
  1 tablespoon olive oil
• Remove Fat. Remove from heat. Spoon out most of the excess fat from the meat, leaving about 1/4 cup.
• Next...Go back to the sauce...

Enchilada Sauce

• Smash. Remove the lid, carefully and gently smash any tomatoes that haven't broken down using the back of a large spoon or potato masher. If they don't give easily, allow them to cook longer. Be careful not to force the tomatoes or squirt hot juice as you give them a smoosh.
• Flavors. Add the brown sugar, spices, and herbs.
  1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, 1 bay leaf
• Simmer. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cooking for 10 minutes uncovered to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors.
• Rest. Remove the bay leaf. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow the sauce to sit for 5 minutes.
• Blend. Carefully scoop the sauce into a large food processor or blender (please follow your owner's manual). Blend the mixture on low for 2 minutes or until the sauce is smooth. If your food processor isn't large enough (this will yield about 4 cups), blend in batches.
• Strain. If a smoother, seedless sauce is desired, place a metal strainer over a mixing bowl. Pour the sauce into the strainer. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, press the sauce through the strainer.

Finish the Filling

• Mx. Over medium low heat, re-heat the beef. Add shredded Mexican blend cheese, sour cream, and enchilada sauce. Mix and cook until heated through.
  2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (1/2 cup in meat, 1 cup on top of enchiladas, 1 cup on top of sauce), 1/2 cup sour cream + additional for garnish, 1/2 cup pureed enchilada sauce

Assembly

• Sauce. Spoon ½ cup of sauce, and spread over, the bottom of the casserole pan.
• Meat. Spoon ½ cup of meat into each tortilla, towards one side of the tortilla, so that you can fold short flap over the tortilla over the filling, pull it tight and roll.
  8 -8" diameter flour tortillas
• Position. Place each enchilada seam down in the casserole dish. Continue until the dish is full.
• Cheese. Sprinkle with shredded Mexican blend cheese on top of the enchiladas.
• More Sauce. Ladle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Cover with another cup of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
• Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
• Chop. While the enchiladas are baking, chop the green onions and black olives.
  1 bunch green onions (garnish), 1/2 cup sliced black olives (garnish)
• Serve! After baking, serve enchiladas. Garnish with additional sour cream, green onions, and black olives.