This recipe is significantly different from the existing enchilada recipe write up. I didn't create this node, but it seems appropriate, as the person who taught me this recipe is from Santa Fe.
The amounts given here are fairly large (3-4 people), cut it down as needed. This is a fairly involved recipe, make sure you have plenty of time. It is good to have some people helping, too.
Take corn tortillas, about 4 per enchilada, and fry them in hot oil, one at a time. Layer them in paper towels and set them aside.
Start cooking a can or two of refried pinto beans at medium-low heat. Watch them, or they'll burn to the bottom of the pan.
Start making some Red Chili Sauce (recipe will be forthcoming).
Toss a bag of premade hash browns (the kind you can buy at Safeway in the freezer aisle for cheap), or boiled, diced potatoes if you're feeling ambitious, into a large hot pan. Add a fair amount of oil. I like to use Chili Oil, often found in the Asian section of supermarkets, but regular vegetable oil will work fine (Chili oil is essentially a vegetable oil of some sort, mixed with pepper oils). Let it fry for a while (until it's nice and crispy), then add Cholula, oregano, ground black pepper, and anything else you might like. Lower the heat and start on the rest.
Cut up/slice/grate lots of:
- Cheddar and/or Jack Cheese. Sharp or mild, it doesn't really matter.
- Tomatoes: Try to get nice fresh ones.
- Lime quarters: Also useful if you're drinking beer with the meal.
- Onions: cut them fairly coarsely. Even if you don't like onions much, you should use quite a bit. I feel they really do make or break this dish (YMMV, of course).
- Anything else you feel like adding (lettuce, various peppers, radishes even)
Finally, it's time to put it together. Make sure you have the oven up at around 400F a bit beforehand.
Put two tortillas overlapping each other on one half of a large baking sheet. On top, put beans, then cheese, then onions, then another layer of two tortillas, then more beans, cheese, onions, and the tomatos. That is one of the enchiladas. Put another one on the other half of the backing sheet, and pop it in for a few minutes until the cheese melts. The onions get a bit soft, and it all mixes together, and... oh... so good.
Surround with hash browns, and smother in red chili sauce and lime juice. Then gobble it up.
Recommened things to listen to while preparing: Angry Johnny and the Killbillies, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash
Recommended drinks: Negra Modelo or other Mexican beer (Tecate or Dos Equis, perhaps?), Goya soda.
Recommened things to watch while eating: The Big O, Tenchi Universe, Outlaw Star. Things like Cowboy Bebop and Esceflowne is too involved, you would spend all your time watching, not eating. And yes, I exclusively watch anime while consuming Mexican food, if the preparing/eating/watching is part of a group activity. What can I say, I'm a big geek.