We just had a Mexican dinner last night.

I always dip the tortillas in the sauce but if you dip them in oil they are a little stiffer. I would make 2 enchiladas each as you are serving beans, salad and ice cream too. If you want Spanish rice here's the recipe I used last night and my DH loved it.
Spanish Rice
1 yellow or white onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced (I use 2)
1 can green chilies, drained
1 tsp bacon drippings, or cooking oil (Canola)
1 cup long-grain rice
1 cup of water or chicken stock
salt and pepper
2 tsp cumin
Saute rice in oil until rice is browned.
Add onion, tomato, garlic, green chilies, cumin and water.
Simmer covered until water is absorbed.
Check to see if rice is done if not add more water.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Fresh chopped cilantro may be added just before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings
You can double it.

Linda P

Well I have a trick that I love..I don't roll..I layer like lasagna..and for 16 people I'd make two 9x13 pans.
Little Enchilada Sauce, corn tortillas, little more sauce, filling, tortillas, sauce, filling..and so on..Makes it sooooo much easier than dipping, filling, rolling...

If I can find my homemade enchilada sauce recipe I'll post it..
It's MIA right now...

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's my Enchilada Recipe though...

If you heat the tortillas in a hot skillet on both sides it will remove the floury corn taste and make them better. I use the dipping method but now that I see Teri's way I may try that next time.
James

Thanks everyone for your great ideas. I'll definately try them all out. In the meantime, my dear MIL (I do love her) called all the family and told them we were having pepperbellies (her version of chili over fritos) and everyone was so excited. I don't want to burst their bubble so to speak so...there goes my Mexican dinner until another time. Darn.

There is a cheater's method for enchiladas my mother used when she was really short of time. Frozen taquitos layered in a 9x13 pan, cover in enchilada sauce, let sit for 15-20 minutes, then cover with cheese, extra chiles, olives (or anything else you like). Bake at 450 until the cheese melts. I like using beef taquitos with the red enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese, and chicken & cheese taquitos a green chile sauce and pepper & monterey jack cheeses.

What are taquitos?

Here's another vote for the simpler layering technique. Not only is it easier to make, it's also easier to serve, and the taste is just the same. I know you said you changed your mind about doing Mexican, but here's a couple of recipes for next time. BTW, I know it's not traditional, but we like our enchiladas (rolled or layered) made with flour instead of corn tortillas. And they're soft enough you don't have to dip them in anything before you roll, if you decide to go that route.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Spanish Rice

Recipe By :Annabelle Welliver
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Tested and Approved

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 cup white rice
8 ounces tomato sauce
8 ounces water
1 small onion -- chopped
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil

Saute rice and onion in oil until rice is opaque and onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 25-30 mintues, or until tender. Stir before serving.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

Enchilada Sauce

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in saucepan, mixing well. Cook and stir over medium
heat until thickened.
Makes 2 ½ cups

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Here is my enchilada recipe, which has a Yucatecan flavor. I always microwave the corn tortillas to soften them - I never dip them in sauce and certainly not in oil. However, for cheese enchiladas (which I never make), dipping them in sauce (not oil) is appropriate.

You can get good canned enchilada sauce, but the best ones will not have tomatoes - just chilies. Here's my recipe for chili/enchilada sauce, in case you want to make your own.

Generally, you should allow 2½ enchiladas per person, and so for 16 people, you would need 40 enchiladas, or 48 if you want to be safe. You can always freeze the leftovers.

Lars

The enchiladas I made last night turned out to be a hit! I cooked a 3 lb. beef pot roast in my pressure cooker with a can of diced tomatoes, a package of taco seasoning, and some extra water for 45 minutes. Then let it cool, shredded it, added some hatch chiles that I had roasted and frozen and a bit of the resulting broth from cooking the meat. This was done on Saturday.

Sunday afternoon I made an enchilada sauce by making a roux with butter and oil, browning flour and chili powder, added some salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Then added some of the liquid from cooking the roast until I had a thin sauce. When I was ready to make the enchiladas, I heated more of the cooking liquid in a frypan, dipped the corn tortillas in to soften them, filled them with the shredded beef and put them in a greased pyrex baking casserole. These were covered with foil and baked at 350 for 15 minutes. Then topped with the thickened enchilada sauce and baked another 10 minutes. Finally I topped all with a combination of cheddar and pepper jack cheese and baked another 10 minutes.

I had enough for all five of us to have leftovers for lunch today. Don't think I will ever purchase enchilada sauce again!

Teresa

Taquitos are meat (and sometimes cheese) usually rolled in corn tortillas. They're in most grocery stores. I think the chicken and cheese ones are in flour tortillas and the beef ones are in corn.