First things first. Congratulations to Amanda (comment #24)! You’re the lucky winner of our $50 Anthropologie gift card giveaway. Thanks to everybody who voted…and especially to those who chose #5 as their favorite. 
Before I talk about these enchiladas I had a few thoughts I wanted to share. On Thursday, we posted split pea soup and I described the ham hock horror story that went with our soup. Then this Saturday I was watching The Pioneer Woman and what does she make? A big pot of Tex-Mex Beans…cooked with a HAM HOCK. Of course! Maybe I should try ham hock again?!? I wonder if Ree’s had hair too? My guess is it did not.
Moving on, my BFF Jen (and her hubby, Anth) closed on their new house on Friday and I went on Sunday to check it out. Congrats again! Super nice! Anyways, while I was there, Anthony’s Mom told me she reads our blog everyday. As if I wasn’t already on cloud 9 after hearing that, on my way home I checked my email and saw a comment from a friend I worked with like 3+ years ago. Knowing we have loyal readers completely makes my day!!! 
These enchiladas. They scream fall to me, the colors and the flavors. Kara and I went back and forth for several weeks on butternut squash enchiladas and at the last minute we decided on sweet potato. It was a good decision. I LOVE sweet potato! I don’t love brussel sprouts, but mixed with all the other goodness, the brussel sprouts were more appealing. This recipe was a little time consuming because you have to roast and bake, but it was almost all hands off, waiting time. It’s always nice to have a recipe you can cook while you’re cleaning…or better yet…catching up on DVR’d TV and lounging.
Here’s what you’ll need
Lightly drizzle the sweet potatos with the seasoned olive oil
And the brussel sprouts too. Pop the sweet potatoes in the oven first, they’ll take longer to roast
Now let’s start on the sauce. First make a roux with the butter and the flour
Add the broth and milk, whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chili powder too. Let thicken. Finally, stir in the fontina.
Time to assemble
Pour a spoonful of cheese sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Lay enchiladas on top. Finish w/ more cheese sauce (& fontina)
Perfect fall enchiladas…and a hearty no meat meal option.
- 2 cups brussel sprouts, quartered
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 flour tortillas
- 2½ cups fontina cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup milk
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lay the brussel sprouts on one baking sheet and the sweet potatoes on another.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour this over the vegetables and use your hands to toss and coat evenly. Pop the sweet potatoes in the oven first, they will take longer to roast. Cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes, then put the brussel sprouts in the oven and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes or so, until a golden roux forms. Pour in the vegetable broth and the milk and whisk until bubbly and slightly thick. Whisk in the chipotle chili powder too. Next, reduce the heat to low and stir in 2 cups of fontina cheese. Stir until smooth, then taste, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Spoon about ½ cup of sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Lay the tortillas out and add a few spoonfuls of the sweet potato and brussel sprouts to each tortilla. Roll each tortilla up tightly and carefully place, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce on top and sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ cup of fontina.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted. Serve hot.
