Early Cinco de Mayo! Enchiladas! Ole!

So.
Cinco de Mayo is the same day as the next reveal day for my group for Secret Recipe Club.  I wanted to make something Mexican, but the blog I've been assigned really isn't that sort of blog.  As a result, I've decided to make something early that you might want to make too.
J and I are both big fans of Mexican food.  Our first date was at a Mexican restaurant, and he proposed at the same restaurant.  Often when we travel, we go looking for good Mexican food; seeing as Canada really doesn't have any.  I'm also often looking for recipes to try at home so that we can get a fix in between travels.  Enchiladas were something I hadn't tried making before.
As I was making the enchiladas and a batch of enchilada sauce from scratch, J commented that it really looked like I was making a Mr. Food recipe.  I haven't decided what I think of that.  I don't think Mr. Food would make his own sauce, but you never know.
Both the enchiladas and the sauce are originally from Budget Bytes, and are actually a combination of 2 different recipes of hers.  While you can use a can of refried beans and a can of enchilada sauce, you can also do as I did and make the sauce and pull a container of refried black beans that I made in the crock pot out of the freezer.  The cocoa in the sauce reminds me greatly of mole sauce, which is my favourite.  It's deep and rich, and doesn't taste at all chocolatey. 
So while it's early for the 5th, it's never too early for easy and delicious Mexican food that does a couple of meals and totally fills you up.  J and I had 2 of these with a side of Spanish rice.  I couldn't finish my plate.  I wondered if there was too little filling in these, but apparently there's not. 
I present to you now Budget Bytes Enchiladas and Sauce:

Ingredients:

For the Enchiladas
1 lb ground beef
Taco Seasoning package
1 can refried beans
10 8" tortillas
1-1/2 c shredded cheese
1 can of enchilada sauce (or 1 batch of enchilada sauce)

For the Sauce
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 c water
1/2 can tomato paste
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp hot sauce (such as Frank's)
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt

Method:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large skillet, brown ground beef, breaking up as it cooks.  Add the taco seasoning and water as listed on the package.  Simmer until thick and saucy.  Add refried beans, stirring to ensure that they are well distributed in the ground beef mixture.  Remove from heat.
2.  Using about 1/3 c of the filling, roll the tortillas and filling burrito-style and place filled tortillas in a greased 9x13" pan.  The fit will be snug.
3.  Make the sauce:  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine oil, flour and chili powder.  Cook until the mixture bubbles, and then cook a minute longer, stirring constantly.  Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to simmer and thickens.
4.  Pour sauce evenly over enchiladas, and top with shredded cheese.  At this point, either cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake, or bake at 350F for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.  if cooking from cold, bake, covered, for 30 minutes at 350F or until hot.

From Budget Bytes - Sauce adapted from here, and enchiladas from here
 

 See the plastic container on the stove?  That's the refried black beans I made in the crock pot.  The final filling mixture with the black beans, browned meat and taco seasoning was really dark.

Essentially for the sauce, you make a roux and add spices, tomato sauce and water.  It came together very quickly, and thickened equally as fast.

I managed to get all the enchiladas in the pan (and spent some time squeezing them all in), poured over the sauce, and...

...topped with shredded cheese.  I have started shredding my own cheese after reading about how packaged shredded cheese is coated with stuff to make it not stick together.  I find I'm using less cheese as a result, and it's cheaper.  Both good things!  I covered this with foil and put it in the fridge.  I don't think it affected the taste or quality at all.

They looked awesome coming out of the oven!

And equally awesome by taste on a plate.  I found 2 too much to eat.  That being said, the 2 of us will get 3 meals out of the recipe.  I'd also like to try freezing in smaller portions for future use.  I think they'd be fantastic.  Another Budget Bytes recipe FTW.