Beef and Bean Enchiladas

1½ pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound refried beans

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup taco sauce

1 cup chopped, pitted ripe olives

12 corn tortillas, 6-inch size

Salad oil for softening tortillas

3 cans (10 ounces each) enchilada sauce, divided

3 cups (about 10 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Garnishes

Sliced pitted ripe olives

Sour cream

Green chile salsa

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute ground beef with onions, crumbling the meat as it cooks, until beef is browned and onions are soft. Drain fat. Stir in refried beans, salt, garlic powder, taco sauce and olives. Heat until bubbly.

Heat oil in skillet, quickly dip in tortillas one at a time to soften; drain on paper towels.

In a medium saucepan, heat two cans enchilada sauce; pour about half into a shallow, 3-quart baking dish. Save remaining to pour over top.

To assemble the enchiladas: Pour the third can of sauce into shallow dish and dip a tortilla into it. Lay tortilla flat on a work surface and place about ½ cup of the ground beef filling on one end. Roll up and place flap side down in the baking dish. Repeat for remaining tortillas. (Save leftover sauce for later use.)

Pour remaining heated enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas; cover with cheese. Bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with green chile sauce, sour cream and olives.

Serves four to six.

Cook's notes: You may cover and refrigerate before baking for up to 1 day. To cook directly from refrigerator, increase baking time to 45 minutes. Recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed.