Being a chef by trade, I am often asked how much I cook at home. The answer is, unfortunately, "not often enough." My husband (also a chef) and I have busy schedules and, although we are around great food all day long, we don't eat as well as you might think (you know what the saying is about the cobbler's children).
Resorting to take-out and pizza delivery is sometimes a necessary evil, but when I do cook at home I try to make large batches of reheatable meals. Enchiladas are one of my favorite things to have on hand, as they taste better as each day goes by. While making enchiladas can be a bit time consuming, cooking a large batch is economical and they are quick to reheat and enjoy later.
This is an adaptation of Rick Bayless' recipe for Enchilada Especiales. You could use some cooked, cubed potatoes as an alternative to the chicken if you want a vegetarian dish.
This article appears in Sep 9-15, 2010.