I know, I know! I said I would leave a recipe a week and I have already gotten behind. Well, I will make it up now.


Having lived most of my life in Texas, I'm a HUGE fan of Tex-Mex. Last week we had some friends over for a Tex-Mex dinner. These are some of my tried and true recipes that friends have asked for many times.

ABBIE'S TEXAS SALSA (Abbie is a friend in Jackson, TN who is actually a Texan.)

1/2 an onion, coursely chopped
1 small can whole jalapenos
3 big "pinches" fresh cilantro
1 large can of diced tomatoes, do NOT drain
2 garlic cloves or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. water

Throw ingredients in this order in a blender or food processor and blend until desired chunkiness. I like it well chopped. Use less jalapenos if you can't take the heat.

The next recipe I actually got when I was in collage from one of my Elementary Ed. Professors. I've added a few of my own twists to add flavor. It is a little work, but so worth it. Usually, Fred heats the tortillas while I fill and roll them.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

3 - 4 chicken breasts
olive oil, salt & pepper
24 oz. sour cream
2 cans chopped green chilies
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
vegetable oil
1 pkg corn tortillas
12 oz. shredded Colby/Jack cheese

Drizzle chicken with olive oil, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub oil and seasoning into chicken. Grill (this can even be done the day before). Finely chop chicken or put in food processor.

In a medium sauce pan, slowly heat sour cream, green chilies (can substitute jalapenos for more heat), soup and spices. This mixture just needs to be heated. Do not boil.

In a seperate bowl, place chopped chicken and HALF of the sour cream mixture and stir. This is the insides of the enchiladas.

Heat 1 - 2 TBSP veg. oil in a skillet over low heat. Place one tortilla at a time in the skillet to soften each side. Take out of pan and fill about 2 TBSP of chicken mixture and roll tortilla. Place in a greased 9x13 or larger pan. Repeat until all chicken mixture is used up. Enchiladas can be snug up against one another.

Pour the left over sour cream sauce over the whole pan of enchiladas and top with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until it gets bubbly. Serve immediately. If it sits awhile the tortillas start absorbing the sour cream sauce and it is not as creamy.

MARGARITAS

We use the frozen Margarita mix with a little extra Bicardi Rum that the can calls for. Our secret to a good margarita is a fresh lime. Grate about half of the rind into the mixture, then juice the lime. Blend.