Kid approved potato enchiladas

I just got a request on facebook from one of the most awesome preschool moms for my beloved enchilada recipe, so I thought I would take this opportunity to type out the basic recipe, and some changes I make from time to time. Kids really love this one. The sweet lil' boy in question says it is his all-time favorite meal. :3

These proportions make a lot, but I have a hard time scaling down, and the ingredients are pretty cheap, so it might not be a bad idea to make this one Sunday and freeze the second pan. This will fill a standard 9 x 13, as well as a slightly larger (by an inch or two) metal pan. We have two of these metal baking pans at the preschool. I use the one that is larger and deeper to make a big one for the kids and then a backup second pan for the adults (and the kids too, if they are loving it and demanding seconds and thirds and fourths).

Note: we use these gigantic bulk cans of diced tomatoes and I'm not sure how much I actually use because I just scoop it out of the can until it looks like enough. I'd guess about 2 of those 28 oz cans should do it.

Here's how I make it at the preschool!

Sauce:

1-2 TB olive oil to saute onions
1 large yellow onion
5-7 cloves garlic
at least two 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 TB chili powder
1 TB paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Filling:

3 lbs potatoes, quartered
1 sweet potato, quartered (opt)
1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds (opt)
2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely minced
2-4 TB coconut oil (olive oil or butter works too)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
3 TB coconut milk

12 large burrito sized wheat tortillas
8 oz cheese, grated (we use raw white cheddar which is pretty yummy) 

Getting this all together takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes at a leisurely pace and can be done in about 1 hour and a half if you really hurry. Basically I make the filling and sauce at the same time so I can assemble the enchiladas and pop them into the oven by noon (we shoot for 12:30 lunch time and I get in at 11am) but if you're not in a hurry you can make this however you'd like!

First I chop the onion and garlic and start the water boiling for potatoes. I like to cut the potatoes into quarters so it takes less time. Preheat oven to 350.

Then I start sauteing the onion in a largeish sauce pan for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and this is usually when I chop my potatoes (and carrots and sweet potatoes). As soon as they are done I toss them into the water and poke them periodically until they are cooked but still firm.

Add the garlic to the onion and stir for about 30 seconds, add the spices and stir well for 30 more seconds and add the tomatoes. Sometimes I add 1/2 cup coconut milk to make a creamier sauce. Now this should simmer for 20-30 minutes while you grate the cheese and prepare any additional filling items. When it's ready, puree with an immersion blender, or toss in the blender to puree it.

Once the potatoes are ready, drain and roughly smash them, leaving some potato chunks, and stir in the chili powder, turmeric, cumin, coconut oil, and coconut milk until well mixed. I will often sprinkle a thin layer of black beans on top after I spread the potatoes onto the tortillas in the pan, or just make some unfried beans as a filling, in addition to or instead of the potatoes.

Line your pans with parchment paper and a few ladles of sauce. Spread the sauce evenly and place one layer of tortillas on top of the sauce. Spread the filling over the tortillas, sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese, and cover with another layer of tortillas. Ladle more sauce on top to cover and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top (sometimes I do this halfway through cooking time so the cheese doesn't brown too much) and bake in the over for 25 minutes.