Joyful Cooking

                                  RECIPES FOR FUN

  NOUGATS AND NIBBLES

       I've always loved recipes. I can't tell you how many cookbooks, cooking magazines and just plain recipes I've gathered over the years. The ones I'm going to share with you came from friends along my way. I have treasured them because they are handwritten and have been some of the best food that I ever ate.

 A smiling face is half the meal.   Latvian proverb                                                                                                         

Have you ever looked around at something and ask yourself where did all of this stuff come from? I am a collector of recipes. I have no idea how I became a collector of recipes, unless it was handed down from my Mom, who is also, a collector of recipes.  I have no intention of ever cooking all of them but I like having the option of cooking them…someday. Being a collector of recipes has its pitfalls. People feel like they need to give you more recipes to add to your collection of recipes that you have no use for.  But as a collector of recipes some have found the way into my collection that are, quite simply, extraordinary.

I don’t know the author of this recipe or how it came to be in my collection. It’s written on a sheet of lined tablet paper and has been encased in what appears to be clear packing tape. I have copied it here exactly as it has been written.

“ “This receipt is guaranteed to be the most unorthodox, unconstitutional, & ridiculously compliled you have ever tried to absorb!” “

“P.S. a real Mexican would shudder & say no-no-no. But I don’t like their chili either.”

Meat

Ground Beef (regular) Browned in skillet (alone first)

“           “        (course grind)

Bulk Sausage

Canned tomatoes-crushed with potato masher

Onions-diced and sauted-oleo

Green peppers-“    “       “-oleo

Green chilies-popped in oven-diced

Mushrooms-chopped fine and well browned

Garlic-Fresh-thro garlic press

Cumminos (spice sparingly)

Mild chili powder (2 cans we sent) for flavor

Hot chili powder-to taste

Sugar and salt-to taste

Optional-(all adds flavor)

Canned mushroom soup or gravy

Tomato juice-Lea and Perrin or A-1 sauce-Red pepper-can of tomato puree

Various other tidbits & nick nacks & odds and ends to numerous to mention.””   

Happy eating!

.

Food has always been a big part of my life. The following recipe was given to me by Alice. This was one of her son’s favorite meals and since he was my new husband at the time, it was with great pleasure that I cooked it for him.  Although, having been born and raised in southern Arizona, this was not the way I learned to cook enchiladas.

Enchiladas

2 cans-cream of chicken soup

2 cans-cream of mushroom soup

2 soup cans of water

1 can chopped green chili (small)

3 or 4 cans tomato sauce (8oz)

½ can of el pato sauce (more or less to the taste)

Combine and heat until warm (do not boil)

Method

Brown 2 lbs. ground beef with

1 tsp. garlic salt

Drain and set aside

Dip corn tortillas in hot grease to soften (or heat in microwave)

Dip tortillas in sauce. Put a little ground beef and cheese on tortillas, roll and place in baking pan. Pour sauce over the tortillas, top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts.

Ole`

 This last recipe, also for enchiladas, is from Charlie. He is as handy as a pocket on a shirt. He even has a possible box. I asked him one time what a possible box was. He told me it was possible he was going to need something out of it. I told him I’d had one of those for years, it’s called a purse. Mine weighs approximately 28 pounds and has everything that anyone could ever need. It is also the size of a small suitcase and causes me to walk lopsided. I finally learned to change shoulders every so often so I can straighten back out. After my spinal surgery this spring, my surgeon advised me not to carry a purse. Okay. Now I carry my driver’s license and debit card only. 

Lance carries my purse.

Here is Charlie’s recipe for:

White Enchiladas

1 pkg shredded cheese

1 # meat (hamburger, chicken or turkey)

1 can chopped green chiles

1 can cream of mushroom soup (small)

1 8oz cup of sour cream

8oz picante sauce

1 pkg flour tortillas

Brown meat in skillet Pour out any excess fat add picante sauce and simmer until well combined at same time, make white sauce, In sauce pan put green chile, sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Add enough water to make it pliable and not stick. Bring to a slow boil. Roll meat mixture into tortillas and place in a 8x11 pan. Pour white sauce over top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until sauce thickens on top. Add cheese on top and melt.

I put extra onions on top before I put in oven the first time. I use aluminum pans so if I don’t want to wash it, I can just chunk it.

I have to say I like his logic. I often have felt like just “chunking” something. I have actually tried both of the enchilada recipes. Oddly enough they are both quite good considering that they both use soup. I have nothing against soup but I had never thought of them being a staple for Mexican cooking. 

 Until next time.....

Happy eating