Gluten Free Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:

For the enchilada sauce:

2 T butter
2 T sweet rice flour
2 - 2 1/2 T red chili powder
2 - 3 dashes cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 T cumin
1 T garlic powder
2 T dried onion flakes
6 ounces tomato paste
2 - 3 cups water and/or chicken stock
salt and pepper

For the enchiladas:

corn tortillas
olive oil
3 cups roast beef or canned cooked beef, cut in bite-sized chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
1/2 teaspoon or chili powder
salt and ground pepper, to taste
4 C Cheddar or Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a or 9 x 13" baking dish.

First make the sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan; add the rice flour and whisk smooth. Mix in the spices and tomato paste; then add the liquid, whisking constantly. Heat just until the sauce begins to simmer; feel free to taste and adjust seasonings to your own liking! Remove from heat after it thickens.

Make the filling by combining the beef, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss well to coat. Add about 3/4 of the shredded cheese to the filling and mix well. Set aside the remaining cheese for the topping.

Pour about 3/4 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.

Soften the tortillas by briefly frying them in oil in a small skillet (if the oil is hot, you only need a couple of seconds per side!).

Place a tortilla in the pan, on top of the sauce, spoon in the beef and cheese filling, and roll the tortilla up. Continue until the pan is full and/or the filling is used up, whichever comes first.

Pour the remaining enchilada sauce all over the top. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the enchiladas are bubbling around the edges and heated all the way through.