I was looking for a quick dinner one day last week and came up with this recipe. I got all the way done with the filling — then with no meat, mainly due to lack of planning and time — and changed course. I knew the hubs would whine if there was no dead animal involved.

So I scrounged the fridge for something I didn’t have to thaw or cook, and hark: pheasant sausage. Weird, but qualifies as dead animal. I crumbled a few pieces into the mix, and voilå. You can do the same with whatever red meat you have on hand…ground beef or stew meat, deer meat or other wild game, etc.

Honestly, by the time it was done, it was so yummy I’m not sure hubs would have noticed. Feel free to try it either way.

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

• 6-8 flour tortillas, enchilada size
• 1 cup cooked short-grain brown rice (found in the healthy foods section of most supermarkets)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or equivalent amount of soaked, cooked beans)
• 1 large can red enchilada sauce, mild
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. (a sprinkle) cayenne or chipotle powder
• 2 T. dried onions
• 1 garlic clove, pressed OR 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  (May substitute prepared taco seasoning for above spices)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or queso blanco or queso fresco from your grocer’s dairy Mexican foods)

Cook the rice according to the package directions, but just a minute shy of the texture you would normally shoot for. (Remember that you’re using one cup of cooked rice, not dry…start with one cup of dry and save the extra for something else.)

Remove all but one cup of cooked rice from the pan. Add the black beans and about one-third of the large can of sauce. Add the seasonings and onions/garlic if using, and warm the whole thing up slowly over medium heat while stirring. (Be careful not to break up the beans while stirring!)

As the mixture warms, the rice will absorb some of the sauce and the mixture will tighten up. Keep warming and adding more sauce, if necessary, until you get a good, thick consistency for filling the tortillas.

Spray some cooking spray into the bottom of a large, rectangular baking dish and pour a tiny bit of  sauce in the bottom, about 1/4 cup.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven until pliable. Using a plate or cutting board as a work surface, lay down one tortilla and spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into it. Roll the tortilla and place, seam down, into the baking dish. Repeat until the dish is full, then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle cheese over this and cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

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As you can see, this could easily please your vegan or vegetarian friends…just leave out the cheese (or use a soy substitute) and you’re golden. (But make sure the tortillas are free of lard if you’re feeding a vegan.) Sensitive to wheat? No problem; use corn tortillas.

Dang, just realized I don’t have a photo of this. We ate it all up days ago. Sorry.

Enjoy, and stay tuned. I’ve got more…homemade macaroni and cheese, a new recipe from Chef Shane, and maybe even my Thanksgiving menu.

Happy cooking!