soy crumbles

i am not a vegetarian. and while i do eat a lot of fruits and veggies, i don't think anyone who knows me would mistake me for a vegetarian. grilled dead animals are just too yummy. but at the same time, i am strangely fond of trying vegetarian recipes and do not dislike faux meats. the best thing someone invented/processed/marketed is soy crumbles. they are in the freezer section nearby the boca burgers. its a bag of what honestly looks like frozen already cooked ground beef and you can use it in recipes. i think there are other flavors, maybe some sausage and shredded chicken. i've only tried the ground beef so i cannot vouch for the others. it is however great in lasagna and shepherd's pie. i would not wish anyone to try it just by itself; the texture is a little off and i think that would be very noticable if it weren't hiding in a casserole. so you can use soy crumbles in this dish or you can use the real deal.

enchilada casserole

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 t ground cumin
2 garlic cloves
4 t chili powder
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/2 cup water
2 cups taco sauce
12 corn tortillas
1 lb jack shredded, or really as much as you want, i like it extra cheesy
1 cup sour cream

preheat oven to 375. cook beef and onion until brown; drain. add next 6 ingredients. simmer 10 minutes uncovered. pour 1/2 cup taco sauce into casserole. arrange a layer of tortillas to cover. pour 1/2 cup sauce evenly over tortillas. spoon in beef mixture, top with sour cream. sprinkle on half cheese. arrange ramaining tortillas, overlapping ontop of cheese. top with remaining taco sauce and remaining cheese. cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. remove foil and bake 5 more minutes. mom makes this in a 12x9 pan with only the two layers. i have a round casserole about the size of a tortilla so i make it with a lot of layers. obviously if you are going to do my version, you need to pace yourself when spooning in the sauce, meat, and cheese. enjoy!