hahaha mecdave, I'm glad somebody understands. ;-) I tell him it's like trying to feed a 5yr old. haha, I used to make Campbell's Tomato soup with milk, that's how my parents made it. ;-) Thanks for the site, it looks interesting, I'm always up for trying something new. Hey Kevin, yeah, I have a ton of dried (pasillas, anchos, guajillos so I'm good) but it just seemed like such a waste to not use fresh if you have them on the vine. Never used fresh guajillos? I use them in chili. While I've got your attention, didn't you say awhile back that you made mole sauce, but not the long drawn every ingredient known to man version? If so, how do you make your mole? I want to make it but not have to buy out the store and spend all day. I have got a good variety of Oaxaca peppers and I'd like to make some mole. Guess I gotta dry them first, huh? Pam

petra, I'm a hot pepper wuss myself, although Elery loves them. This green sauce is more lime and tomatillo than hot pepper and the cheese moderates the heat nicely too. Lars, I like to keep bean dip on hand too, but Elery finds that it makes a good snack in the evening, so before I know it, it's gone! My habanero plants are doing well, but it's very nearly a miracle if any of them ripen before frost here. KatieC, I'd get twice as many tomatillos if I'd actually cover them or put them in a hoop house, my season is just barely long enough for the husks to fill..... Cathy, I always cooked when I travelled, although I don't travel nearly as much as you do. I can only eat out just so much, then I need to cook something, even if it's just eggs. Annie

Here's the recipe I've used for years. It's from Tyler Florence. It's easy and good. It's from his "Ultimate" series. Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa, Beans and Rice Ingredients Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa: 1 pound tomatillos, husked (or, substitute canned out of season) 1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole 4 garlic cloves 2 jalapenos 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves 1/2 lime, juiced Enchiladas: Extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 medium onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups chicken stock, storebought is fine Chopped cilantro leaves 1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded (or, roast your own) Salt Freshly ground black pepper 10 large flour tortillas 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 2 cups sour cream Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, for garnish Spicy Black Beans, recipe follows Yellow Rice, recipe follows Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. For the salsa: On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky. Enchiladas: Meanwhile heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove). Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish, cilantro and tomato. Serve hot with Spicy Black Beans and Yellow Rice, the remaining tomatillo salsa, sour cream and fresh guacamole, if desired. Spicy Black Beans: 2 cups (about 1 pound) dried black beans, picked over, soaked overnight 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 medium onion, diced 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 bay leaf Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper In a large pot, soak beans overnight covered in water by 2 inches. Drain and set aside. In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and bay leaf and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and cover with water by about 1-inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the beans and season with salt and pepper. Yellow Rice: 2 cups long-grain rice 4 cups water 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1 tablespoon turmeric 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 bay leaf Put all the ingredients into a heavy-bottomed pot, stir well, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat until the rice has absorbed the water, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard the garlic and bay leaf, fluff with a fork, and serve. /tricia Here is a link that might be useful: Tyler Florence Ultimate Chicken Enchiladas w/Beans & Rice

Oh sure, cheese is good. I almost always add a bit of cheese to my tortilla soup; pepper jack, Monterey, Havarti...whichever is handy. It helps to blend the flavors. I have no idea if the red is milder or hotter than the green; typically green is spicier, but with commercial stuff it could be just different in flavor rather than heat. I haven't had red sauce since my favorite Mexican restaurant lost their lease 15 years ago. I always ordered the three different enchiladas. They came with three different sauces--2 reds and one green. All were delicious. Gosh, I miss that restaurant!