Description
Corn tortilla chips, white rice, and shredded cheddar and Romano cheeses in a mild red sauce. Also includes barley flakes, sour cream, roasted pumpkin seeds, onion, and red and green bell peppers.
Tester #1: Patrick Vuong
Before adding water, the dried bits look as if someone poured rice into my cereal. After adding water, it looks like a burrito exploded inside the pouch. Fortunately, this dish doesn’t taste the way that it looks. Though it only hints at that gooey queso flavor that should dominate, this casserole is a tasty substitute for an authentic cheese enchilada ranchero. And considering it’s easy to store and cook on the fly, it’s a strong bug-out option.
Tester #2: John Schwartze
Having grown up in Southern California, I’m probably a bit of a snob when it comes to good Mexican food. This meal is a little bland, but overall I think it works well as a decent camping or emergency supply food. They could’ve used more cheese and tomato flavor and less tortilla. Nutritionally, this one is about average, but it’s not a bad way to go, especially if you don’t have an overdeveloped taste for Mexican food.
Tester #3: Patrick McCarthy
It’s like an enchilada platter had a run-in with a blender, including the side order of rice — and I’m OK with that. Corn chips do a pretty good job as a tortilla substitute, but when combined with the rice and barley flakes, this entree is quite starch-heavy. Sadly, there’s little to no cheese flavor; it mostly tastes like corn tortillas and rice in a very mild tomato sauce. The roasted pumpkin seeds were unexpected, yet provide a welcome textural element.
