Don’t be alarmed at the number of dried peppers it calls for-it’s actually rather mild. If you like to turn up the heat, we suggest adding a teaspoon of cayenne to the sauce. The vegetables we are featuring here are great for winter months but come springtime, you may want to get seasonal and substitute zucchini, fresh peas, and tender spinach. The corn tortillas make this recipe naturally gluten-free but if you are following a vegan diet, try substituting a vegan cheese for the cheddar or even leaving the cheese out altogether. For a full and festive meal, we would present the enchiladas with a bowl of simply cooked beans and a crunchy cabbage and radish slaw.

For the sauce

5 Anaheim dried peppers
5 New Mexico dried peppers
3 cups boiling water
1 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 tablespoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon salt

Remove stems and seeds from the dried peppers and tear them into one-inch pieces. Rinse the peppers in cold water, place them in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak for 15 minutes. Next, in a blender, combine the peppers and their soaking liquid along with the onion, tomatoes, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt. Puree until very smooth, for about 2 minutes. 

For the filling

1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, sliced
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced (about half of a medium-sized squash)
1 bunch curly kale, stripped and cut into small size pieces
¾ cup of frozen corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or your favorite vegan cheese)

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375 degrees. Season the squash with salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake the squash on a lined cookie sheet or in a baking dish for about 20 minutes or until it is soft all the way through. Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms in a large skillet until brown and set them aside. Return the same pan to the stove, add one tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onions until they are translucent. Next, add the corn and the kale and continue to cook until the kale is wilted (approximately 2 minutes). When your squash is done, combine it with the mushrooms and the onion/corn/kale mixture.

For assembling the casserole

16 corn tortillas
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (or your favorite vegan cheese)

Drizzle the 3 tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom of a 9 by 11 baking dish. Pour 2 cups of the sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 8 tortillas on the bottom of the dish, making sure the tortillas are covered with sauce. Spoon the vegetable filling over the tortillas and pat it down to make an even layer. Then, dip the tortillas one by one into the remaining sauce making sure to coat both sides and layer them on top of the vegetables. Next, pour the remaining sauce on top, cover it with the shredded cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let the dish rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!