Mole Enchiladas with Butternut Squash

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." 

- La Rouchefoucauld

I learned how to make enchiladas from my mom - who always makes some delicious enchiladas!!  Usually she uses vegetables or chicken and tomato sauce and cheese.  I modified these enchiladas to make them a little friendlier for all of us.....using some recipes given to me by another great cook, my sister Carrie!


She also loves to make the enchiladas, usually veggie style.
I was lucky enough to have her visit me & help me put these bad boys together!! Thanks Care -  She sure knows how to make some delicioso enchiladas!

Also, since she is such a great sister & cook - she bought me some amazing cookbooks full of Food and Recipes WE CAN ALL EAT!   I got the recipe for the mole sauce from one of these - "Veganomicon".  Everyone agreed it was yummy - try it out!!

Mole Enchiladas with Butternut Squash
This recipe makes enough for 4-8 people. (Reeeeally filling:)
1. Preheat oven to 375 to bake enchiladas.
2.  To make the enchilada filling:  cut up into cubes, 1 butternut squash & slice up 1/2 an onion.  In a large pan, heat up 1 Tbsp. peanut oil, and add in onions.  Cook for a minute & then add in the squash.  Stir.  Add in a few Tbsp. of vegetable broth and some salt & pepper, lower heat and cover to simmer for about 10 minutes (until squash is tender).
Once done you can use a masher to mash it up & make it smoother filling (mashed -potato style).

3.  To make the mole sauce:  In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup crushed tortillas chips, 2 Tbsps. sesame seeds & 1 tsp. anise seeds.  Keep stirring & toast over med. heat for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat & let it cool.

Pour this toasted mixture into the blender w/ 2-3 tsp. chile powder (optional), 1 and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground marjoram. 1/2 tsp cumin & 1/4 tsp allspice.

Grind it up in the blender.  

Now, in the same pot over medium heat, saute 4 chopped garlic cloves & 1 small chopped onion in 3 Tbspn. peanut oil.

Cook for about 5 minutes.  While this is cooking, combine 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter and a few Tbsp. of hot vegetable broth.  Mix it up to combine the peanut butter.  Now pour this into the pan, along with 2 cups vegetable broth, the spice mixture in the blender & 1 15-oz can of black beans (drained).  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer (med/low) for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the heat & puree in a blender until smooth.  

Now pour back into pan & add 3 ounces of chopped semisweet vegan baking chocolate.  Heat over low for a minute until all the chocolate is melted & it's smooth - this will only take a minute:)

4.  Assemble your enchiladas:

In a large 9x13 baking pan, spread a few scoops of the mole sauce to cover the bottom.

Now fill up one corn tortilla at a time w/ a scoop of the squash mixture.  Spin them up & place into the pan.  

I was lucky enough to have Care help me w the assembling! - She's such a pro:)

Once you're done filling and wrapping up the tortillas ( I used 8 total), Cover with the rest of the mole sauce.  Cover with foil & bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil & bake for another 10-15 minutes uncovered.

You can really fill these with whatever you like: veggies, chicken, tofu, etc.,etc.......

Cover w/ topping of your choice - we had some homemade guac: Guacamole recipe

ENjoy!! We had ours with some green salad, rice and chicken.....Delish!