Ali's Enchiladas «««««

From Ali Ezell --Summer 2001

2 pounds	ground beef
2 cans	green chilies
one large	onion, chopped
1 or 2 package (s)	taco seasoning mix
salt/pepper	to taste
2 large cans	enchilada sauce
1 can	cream of mushroom soup
finely grated Cheddar Cheese	Lots -- 1 -2 pounds
3 packages	large flour tortillas
Sour cream
Cook the ground beef until well done, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Toss in about 4 Tablespoons  onions as you cook the meat...maybe more.  Drain the fat off.   Add the two cans of green chilies and the taco seasoning mix.  Set aside. Mix the 2 cans of enchilada sauce with the cream of mushroom soup in a large flat pan. Prepare a baking dish by spraying with Pam cooking spray.  Take one tortilla and dip it in the enchilada/mushroom sauce.  Fill it with the hamburger mixture.  Roll.  Place into baking dish.  Repeat this until all the hamburger mix is used up. Top with the cheddar cheese and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Use the sour cream when serving at the table.

Beef Enchiladas «««««

This is a favorite recipe of this family.  It was obtained while the family was living in Germany from Chita Newton.  This is authentic; spices must be added to suit your own taste.  For those watching the cholesterol intake, ground turkey can be substituted for the hamburger.  Use low fat cheeses if you want.

  I.  FILLING: 

2 pounds	ground beef
1	large onion chopped
3	cloves garlic
3 Tablespoons	chili powder
1 Tablespoon	ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef in skillet and add onions.  Cook a little bit more.  Add spices.  Set aside.

II.  SAUCE:  

4 Tablespoons	oil
4 heaping Tablespoons	flour
3 Tablespoons	chili powder
1 teaspoon	garlic powder
1 teaspoon	cumin powder
1	medium onion, chopped
4 cups boiling water	8 teaspoons beef bouillon
1/2 cup	catsup

 

If you have them, 2-4 chili pods can replace the chili powder.  Here's  the process:  Clean them, throwing  away the seeds.  Split in halves.  Cover with minimal amount of water.  Cook until softened.  Place into blender and puree in just add to the sauce.

Heat oil; add onions.  Brown.  Add flour then bullion.  Blend in rest of spices.  May add wine to the gravy. This recipe may be doubled or tripled and the part that is not used can be frozen nicely for later use.

III.  Fill corn tortillas . . . .

. . .with beef mix adding additional chopped onion and shredded cheeses of cheddar and Monterrey Jack.  Roll up and place in large baking pan.  Pour sauce over the tortillas.  Top with more cheese and onion.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or till done.  Serve with Spanish Rice and Refried Beans.

Chicken Enchiladas «««««

This is also a recipe of Chita Newton's.  She says she watched her mother prepare these unwritten recipes. 

Green Chili Sauce:  

3 Tablespoons	butter
1 pound	Velveeta Cheese
4 Tablespoon	flour
1 cup	milk
¼ teaspoon	salt
1 can (2 oz.)	pimentos  diced
1 can (4 oz.)	green chilies

Melt margarine; add flour and salt.  Brown slightly.  Add milk. Grate cheese and stir in little at a time.  Add diced pimentos and chilies including the juice.  Make this ahead and store overnight.  

Fill 12 corn tortillas with sharp cheddar cheese and Jack cheese, chopped onions, chopped cooked chicken or turkey.  Pour the green chili sauce over and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Chili  «««««  

2 one pound cans	kidney beans
1 large	onion, sliced
1	green pepper, chopped
1 pound	ground beef or ground turkey
1 one pound can	tomatoes
1 8 oz. can	tomato sauce
1 ½ Tablespoons	chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons	salt
1	bay leaf
1 teaspoon	cumin powder
1	clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons	brown sugar
Dash	Tabasco sauce

Brown onion, green pepper, and meat in a little hot fat.   Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices, salt, dash of paprika.  Cover and simmer for at least 1 ½ hours.  Serve with corn bread.   

Tips:  

• Kidney Beans 

  Soak dried beans overnight in cold water.  Add to the chili in place of the canned beans.  This will add considerable time to prepare the soup, but it is well worth it in taste.

• Chili Powder

Take 4-6 whole dried chilies.  Clean, removing the seeds.  Place in a pan of boiling water,  so the water just barely covers the chilies.  Heat  for about 10 minutes or until they soften.  Run through the food processor and liquefy.  This makes a "sweeter," milder chili.

• Brown sugar

Use at least 2 Tablespoons of this.  Depending upon the tomatoes, you may need more.  Use of sugar reduces the amount of salt necessary.  Add the sugar FIRST, then add the salt.  

• Meat 

Replace ground meat with  chopped chicken or beef.

Fajitas «««

Soak a pound of chicken and/or beef in Fajita marinade.  Add chopped raw onions and green pepper. This can be purchased at the super market.

Fry above mixture in hot oil and serve with flour tortillas with lots of garnishes such as chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, guacamole, sour cream and shredded cheese.  

Hint:  Remember that lime juice is the secret of Fajitas.  Always add some to the meat before and after cooking.

Flautas  «««

(Mexican Antojito)

Rosario Posadas provides us with a great taste from San Luis Pototsi, SLP, Mexico.  My sister-in-law loves to cook.  A great favorite of our entire family.  The first time we ate these was in the house of my brother Alfredo Posadas de Rodriquez.  There was music provided by his sons on guitar and vocal solos.  A memorable evening indeed!

Make flour or corn tortillas or use ready made from the market

Cook a chuck roast until very, very, tender and shred the beef, removing fat and any bones

Shredded Monterrey Jack and Cheddar cheese, mixed

Sliced tomatoes

Fill each tortilla with shredded beef, topping mixed cheese.  Roll tortilla into a very small roll.  Fry it in a pan with cooking oil.  Serve hot and eat with condiments of mayonnaise, your favorite salsa,  or tomato slices.  

Molé  «««««

For those of you gourmet cooks looking for the authentic recipe, you have found it.  This is truly authentic and comes from Antonia Posadas, wife of my brother Jose Nicholas Posadas Rodriquez, San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico.  

Spanish	English
Chile ancho 1 kilogram	Chile ancho  2.2 pounds
Chile mulato ¼ kilogram	Chile mulato  250 gms.
Chile pasilla ¼ kilogram	Chile pasilla 250 gms.
Ajonjoli ½ kilogram	Sesame Seeds 1 ½ ounces
Cacahuate ½ kilogram	Peanuts 1 pound 1 ½ ounces   (Can use peanut butter to replace peanuts.)
Ajo 1 cabeza grande	One large garlic--all of it!  Chopped finely.
Ceballa 2 grande	2 large onions, chopped
½ de tomatito de bolsa	½  bag of small tomatoes
Mejorana y tomillo unas ramitas	Marjoram and Thyme leaves to taste
Pimenta ½ cucharadidta	Black pepper ½ teaspoon
Clavo ½ cucharadidta	Cloves, ground ½ teaspoon
Canela 25 gms.	Cinnamon almost 1 ounce
Cominos una cuchoradita	1 teaspoon cumin
Chocolate una marqueta	Chocolate squares melted--quantity ??
3 Hojas de ahuacate	3 slices of avocado--the skin
Azucar ¾ de kilo	¾ kilo of sugar
Sal ¼ kilo	Salt approx. 1 cup (A little too much!)
Manteca kilo	Butter   -- One pound
	Chicken broth to add

(The size of the  bag of tomatoes is unknown; it is assumed it is a 50 pound bag)

When all ingredients are prepared it will serve over 50 people.  This is normal amount because it is served at fiestas where many people attend.  It is accompanied with rice traditionally.

Clean the chilies removed the seeds.  Fry the peanuts, garlic, and onions in a skillet.  Chop the tomatoes and add.  Cook a few minutes.  Then add the spices.  Melt the chocolate squares and add slowly along with remaining ingredients.  This can all be run through the blender or food processor to smooth it out.  If you do not have these kitchen gadgets then you have to run it through a sieve after it has cooked 1 - 2 hours.  Simmer this sauce and add chicken broth about 1 -2 cups to determine consistency.

Serve over cooked chicken accompanied by rice.  

Paella «««««

2 pound	live lobster or use frozen ready to use meat
6 raw	shrimp -shelled, deveined
6	small hard-shelled clams
6	mussels
½ pound	pork sausage--cooked
2 pounds	chicken, cut into serving pieces-brown in hot fat
2 teaspoons	salt
½ cup	olive oil--no substitutes!
2 ounces	boneless pork cut into ¼ inch cubes
½ cup	chopped onions
1 teaspoon	finely chopped garlic
1 medium	green pepper, seeded, and cut into strips
1 large	tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
3 cups	raw white rice
¼ teaspoon or less	ground saffron
6 cups	boiling water
½ cup	fresh peas
2	lemons, cut into wedges

In Spain, a paella may be simple or elaborate.  Vary the combination of chicken, meats and shellfish, if you like, to suit your taste or availability. For example, you may omit the lobster altogether or replace it with 6 more shrimp.  Slams and mussels may be used interchangeably.  Add rabbit or replace the chicken.  Cubes ham, veal, or beef might be used instead of pork or sausage.  Squid or snails may also be added.  Cooked green string beans may be substituted for the peas.

To make the sofrito, add ¼ cup olive oil to paella pan and heat.  Add onions, garlic, peppers, and tomato.  Stirring constantly, cook briskly until most of the liquid in the pan evaporates.  Set this sofrito aside.

Combine sofrito, rice and the salt and the saffron.  Pour in the boiling water and stirring constantly, bring to a boil over high heat.  Remove immediately.  Arrange chicken, lobster, sausage, shrimp, clams, and mussels on top of the rice and scatter the peas at random over the whole.  Set the pan in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Consider the outdoor grill to bake.

Hint: Use  frozen lobster also or try imitation crab.

Hint:  remember to keep the ratio of water/raw rice 2:1

Hint:  Saffron is very expensive.  Try to get a good grade, use sparingly.  Store in a cool, dry place.

Hint:  Mexican chorizo is a good pork sausage to use.

Hint:  For best results use the paella pan.  

Refried Beans «««««

You must cook pinto beans till they are mushy.  Cook with a ham hock and cover all ingredients with water  and salt. Simmer a couple of hours or in a crock pot.  Be sure they don't stick to the pan by adding water periodically as needed.!  Remove from the heat and mash similar to mashing potatoes.  They can be eaten alone or with other dishes such as burritos and fajitas.  

Secret: you must put lard in them when you beat them.  Alternative fat:  butter.

Spanish Rice «««««

1	small onion, chopped
1	small green pepper, chopped
3 or 4 slices	bacon, chopped
1 Tablespoon	grated carrot
2 Tablespoons	frozen peas

Fry this in a hot skillet until the onion is clear.   

Add:

2 cups	rice, long grain  (not minute rice)
1 can	tomato soup
2 soup cans	water
1 teaspoon	salt
pepper and cumin	to taste

Cook covered over a low heat until rice is tender for about 20 - 30 minutes.  Serve with enchiladas, or fajitas.  If you are going to have this as a main dish, add some shrimp during the cooking process and some ham.