Randy's Favorite Enchilada Sauce

I love Mexican dishes so we always have tortillas and cheese in the house.  Our hamburger has been exchanged for ground turkey and the tortillas have been swapped for whole wheat tortillas.  I am trying to make healthy choices these days.  A household favorite has been my chicken enchiladas with home made enchilada sauce.  It's much easier to buy a jar of it at the store, but what if you could make your own, anytime you want?  Randy likes it so much that I make a double batch and put what I don't use in the enchiladas in a jar in the fridge to be used on other food items at his leisure.

Megan has been asking for the recipe, so here it is.  This recipe came from Allrecipes.com but as you can imagine, I have adapted it a little here and there.  I'm posting the original for you in case you're afraid of my changes.  I hope you like it!

Ingredients ~

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp minced onion

1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried parsley

1/4 cup salsa

1 (6 oz) can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

Directions ~

1.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the onion, oregano, chili powder, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa and tomato sauce. 

2.  Mix together and then stir in the water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

I add the olive oil in the pan, add minced onion and minced garlic and saute for a few minutes.  (I usually don't have time to cut up my own onion, so I cheat with the minced stuff)  I pretty much follow the rest of the recipe.  I do not use the tomato sauce.  I use about a half cup of ketchup... yes ketchup.  I add more chili powder too, like 3 tablespoons, not teaspoons.  Taste as you go and decide for yourself!