Zucchini-Refried Bean-Corn Enchiladas (cooking from the freezer stash)

These vegetarian enchiladas are stuffed with shredded zucchini, refried beans, and sweet corn. This hearty filling can be made with previously frozen squash, helping you to use your August zucchini crop in recipes year round.

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A zucchini recipe this week?  And it's March and there's snow all over?  The blog is about using the farm share all year long, you know.  And where I live (not much grows during the winter) that means getting creative!

Yep, that's over 7 pounds of Squashzilla one week in July.  Volunteer--I didn't plant that.

When your garden gives you this overabundance, you need to be creative.  When your garden is producing this amount and you're getting weekly boxes from the farm share, you need to think outside the box.


Unfortunately for me, when I'm surrounded with farm fresh vegetables at the height of the season, I am not always thinking clearly.  It's so easy to have a salad, or zucchini pancakes, or some simple unadorned veggies in the summertime.


Fortunately for me (and you!) my family gave me a rockin' awesome food processor for Mother's Day. I'd put an affiliate ad link in here to show you, but the only ones coming up are ridiculously expensive.  It's a simple Kitchen Aid, I think it's a 9 cup.  Beats the snot out of the Braun food chopper I was using before. Bed Bath and Beyond coupon-worthy.


Luckily, while my brain was unable to think outside the (farm share) box in the summertime, I grabbed the Fine Shred disc of my food processor and reduced all the Squashzilla to freezer bags of shredded squash.  I've added a few here and there to meals.


Today I had a hankering for enchiladas.  We so enjoyed these enchiladas, but I didn't feel like waiting to roast a squash out of the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve in the corner of the breakfast nook.  I did, however, have a can of refried beans and my put up veggies in the little fruit and veg freezer.

Thinking outside of box?  Got it covered.

I foolishly thought this would ease the clean up.

First layer.

Second layer.

The dog would like some attention.

Zucchini-Refried Bean Enchiladas 

Ingredients

• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini (fresh or partially thawed is fine)
• 1 cup finely chopped onion and bell pepper (fresh or partially thawed)
• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine)
• 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans of your choice, or homemade too!
• 1 can (11 ounces) enchilada sauce of your choice
• 1 package (8 fajita size) tortillas (Chi chi's cafe style are a favorite here)
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a splash of oil. 
2. If you're using partially thawed veggies from your freezer stash (yay, you!) drain any accumulated juices before popping them into the skillet.  Cook until all the liquid has seeped out (so they are pretty much dry), this took me 10-15 minutes.  
3. Add the corn and refried beans, stir to combine, and heat through for another few minutes.  Set aside.
4. In the baking dish of your choice (oval French white Corningware for me today) GREASE IT FIRST (see below) with a spray of oil or a swipe of butter.  Then add a Tablespoon or two of enchilada sauce, straight outta the can.
5. Divvy up the contents of the skillet into 8 portions, and spread each portion onto a tortilla.  
6. Roll up and lay, seam side down, in the baking dish.  I ended up stacking mine in 2 layers, which worked fine.  I put about 1/4 of the can of enchilada sauce and a handful of cheese between the layers.  Top with the rest of the sauce and a couple more handfuls of cheese.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is bubbly. Enjoy alone, with a salad, or with rice.

And tell me, do you think more clearly during the height of the farm share season or during the end of winter??

This post is linked up with the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up at Gastronomical Sovereignty,  What's Cookin' Wednesday at Buns in My Oven What's In The Box at In Her Chucks, Taste and Tell Thursdays, and the newly-expanded Farm Girl Blog Fest at Let This Mind Be In You.

Do what I say, not what I do.  Grease the pan first. This did come off with an overnight soak.