Alright, let’s talk about this here enchilada turkey casserole. I ain’t no fancy cook, mind you, just a plain ol’ woman who likes to eat good food. And this here casserole, well, it’s mighty good eatin’.
First off, you gotta get yourself some ground turkey. Now, I like to buy the lean kind, you know, not too much fat. Fat’s good for flavor, sure, but too much ain’t good for the belly. You dump that turkey in a big pan, a skillet they call it, with a little bit of oil. Not too much, just enough to keep things from stickin’.
Then you chop up an onion. I ain’t got no patience for fancy choppin’, so I just dice it up real small. And garlic too, gotta have garlic. Chop that up small too, and throw it in the pan with the turkey. Cook it all up till the turkey ain’t pink no more and it’s all crumbly-like.
Now comes the good part, the flavorin’. I use all sorts of stuff, whatever I got on hand, really. But for this here enchilada casserole, you need some chili powder, cumin, and some of that smoked paprika. That stuff smells heavenly, let me tell ya. And don’t forget the salt and pepper! Food without salt is like a day without sunshine, just plain dull.
- Ground Turkey – Get the lean kind, it’s better for ya.
- Onion – Chop it up real small, no need to be fancy.
- Garlic – Same as the onion, chop it up good.
- Chili Powder – Gives it a nice kick.
- Cumin – Adds that earthy flavor.
- Smoked Paprika – Makes it smell amazing.
- Salt and Pepper – Can’t forget these!
- Enchilada Sauce– The store-bought kind works just fine.
- Cheese – Gotta have cheese! I like cheddar, but you can use whatever you like.
- Corn Tortillas– These are the base of the casserole.
You stir all them spices in with the turkey and let it cook for a bit. Then you pour in some enchilada sauce. Now, I ain’t got time to make my own sauce, so I just buy the stuff from the store. The red kind, not the green. Green ain’t bad, but red’s better for this casserole. You pour in enough sauce to cover the turkey good, and then you let it simmer for a while. Low heat, mind you, don’t want it to burn.
While that’s simmerin’, you gotta get your tortillas ready. I like to use corn tortillas, they got more flavor than them flour ones. You can rip ’em up into pieces, or you can layer ’em whole, whatever you feel like. I usually rip ’em up, it’s easier that way.
Now, for the cheese. You gotta have cheese, ain’t no casserole without cheese. I like to use cheddar, the sharp kind, but you can use Monterey Jack, or even that pepper jack if you like it spicy. You shred it up, or buy it shredded, whatever’s easier.
Once the turkey’s been simmerin’ for a while, you start layerin’ everything in a big dish, a casserole dish they call it. You put some of the turkey mixture on the bottom, then some tortillas, then some cheese. And you keep doin’ that till the dish is full, endin’ with cheese on top. You want a good layer of cheese on top, so it gets all melty and bubbly in the oven.
Then you stick it in the oven, not too hot, maybe 350 degrees or so, and you let it bake for a while, maybe 20 or 30 minutes. You want the cheese to be all melted and bubbly, and the casserole to be heated through. And that’s it, you got yourself an enchilada turkey casserole.
It ain’t fancy, but it’s good, honest food. It’ll fill you up and warm you up, and that’s all that matters, ain’t it? And the best part is, it’s easy to make. Even a ol’ woman like me can do it. So go on, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. This enchilada turkey casserole is a real crowd-pleaser, perfect for a family dinner or a potluck. And it’s a good way to use up leftover turkey, if you got any. But even if you don’t, it’s worth makin’ from scratch. Trust me on this one.
Now, I gotta go, my feet are tired. But you remember what I told you, and you go make yourself this here casserole. You won’t regret it. It’s simple, it’s tasty, and it feeds a whole bunch of folks. What more could you want?
