A RECIPE FROM MICHIGAN THAT IS QUESTIONABLE AT BEST...heehee

Actually, that's not entirely true..........the title of this post.
The recipe I'm going to share with you IS from Michigan and it WOULD be questionable if it wasn't my mother's recipe (she's a great cook).

The reason it would be questionable is because it's a recipe for Beef-Bean ENCHILADAS and everyone knows that you can't get decent enchiladas in Michigan.............. (please send all complaint letters for that crack to Oprah)

Mom's BEEF-BEAN ENCHILADAS

1 1/2 # ground beef, crumbled (which, in Texas, would mean that you could use axis meat and, also, we wouldn't put "crumbled" in the recipe - that should be a given. Uh, duh.)
1 onion, chopped (I feel I need to tell you that in Texas we would use a red onion - just in case you're a northerner making this dish)
1 - 1# can refried beans (Now, I would buy the refried beans with jalapenos. We can get those in Texas, but I'm not sure you can get them with jalapenos up north or that you could stand them even if you can find them.)
1 t. salt

1/8 t. garlic powder (Now, here's where I have to ask, "why bother?")

1/2 C. canned or bottled TACO sauce (never heard of it, actually. Might just be a Yankee thing. If I can't find it in Texas, I'll use Enchilada sauce.)

1 C. pitted chopped black olives ("pitted"? ya think???)

2 - 10 oz. cans of enchilada sauce (sure hope you can find that taco sauce)

Salad oil

12 corn tortillas (For those of you that are true Yankees, like my sister, Joan, you tend to pronounce this "tor-teel-yas". Now, as I've told Joan, on more than one occasion, that makes her sound purely stupid. The correct pronunciation is "tor-tee-ahs". Practice)

Oh, and, fyi, my family prefers to use flour tortillas and not just because it makes the recipe easier for me to fix either (you don't soften the flour tortillas in oil).

3 C. shredded cheddar cheese (Ladies. Ladies. Ladies. You don't use cheddar cheese when making Mexican food. You use shredded AMERICAN CHEESE. You buy it in a block at the deli and shred it by hand. See??? Kinda scary recipe, huh.)

In a frying pan, saute ground beef and onions until the meat is browned and onions are soft. Stir in beans, salt, garlic powder, taco sauce, and olives; heat until bubbly.

Pour about half of the enchilada sauce into a greased 9 X 13" pan.

If you're using corn tortillas, pour oil into a frying pan big enough to fit a corn tortilla.

Heat and dip tortillas, one at a time, in hot oil to soften; drain quickly and blot with paper towels.

Place about 1/3 up of the meat mixture on each tortilla and roll to enclose filling.

Place, seam sides down, into sauce in pan.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over tortillas; cover with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 - 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

When you serve these, mom always has garnishes - olive slices (redundant), chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and picante sauce (NOT Pace. Please.)

These really are good.

Thank goodness mom has a southern Texas daughter, huh.

So.

Let me know if you like my mom's Enchiladas (in-chee-lah-das - heehee)!

We're leaving in the morning for Texas - PRAISE GOD! - and when we get home, this is probably what Frank's going to want for supper very soon after my arrival - I'll bet he hasn't had any since I left five weeks ago unless my BFF made him some!

So.

Since I don't have a picture of Mexican food, this dish in particular, or a lady cooking, I'm letting you see my kitchen where I'll be fixin my enchiladas this weekend.

I can't wait!!

Thanks for reading my post, ladies. I do so love you!

XOXO,

. . . . . Jan

CHRISTMAS DAY WAS FULL OF.............LAUGHTER!

Hi, y'all! and, Merry Christmas! I just had to post this in red to celebrate Christmas - I sure hope you can read it.
Okay, enough red, let's get really festive and write this in PINK! heehee. It's late,......I'm in the sitting area of our bedroom listening to Frank the Tank snore,
my studio dog, Ben, is "passing gas" which, btw, can make you breathe through your shirt,
the house is quiet as everyone is in bed,
but, I had to stay up and post this ON Christmas - then I'll go to bed.
This is a great time to reminisce about this special day of family, faith and the overwhelming love I have for my boys. Our day started out with opening presents.
I made a huge mistake of having Santa give our three "boys", ages 18, 21 and 23, these air guns that shot the large marshmallows.
Yeah.
BIG mistake, but so funny that I couldn't breathe! You should have seen those "young adults".
Best gift Santa could have given them.

The afternoon was filled with the boys and their good friend, Brat, visiting while I made supper.
I'm not bragging when I say this. I'm stating a fact...................Blake and Clay are a SCREAM.
Making Christmas supper has never been so much fun!
About 9 p.m. Blake wanted to take the "Christmas picture" so I found my camera and we headed to the dining room.
The background isn't the best, actually it's pretty bad, but there are stools at the bar and we like the way the boys can situate themselves.
Before I show you the pictures that were taken,
I want to ask you if you have ever seen the YouTube "mother's day" with Barats and Bereta?
(if you can't get there from this link, go to http://www.youtube.com/ and in the "search box" type in "mother's day". it should be the first one listed. You must see it!)
IT IS A SCREAM AND ALL I COULD THINK OF AS WE HAD OUR "PHOTO SHOT".
During our time with the camera clicking away, I felt like I was working with 1st graders during all of this 'fun'.....you know 1st grade boys -
they pee on the floor instead into the toilet,
they cut the bangs off the little girl sitting next to them *Clay*,
they think it's so funny to say the really bad words {shut-up, stupid, pee...} and watch little girl's reactions..........
The boys had the best time being simply foolish and, of course, I can't breathe once again!
Here they are, the pics.................Merry Christmas said with laughter because of the memories of this special day make the BEST MEMORIES.

FYI, Clay is on the left, age 18, freshman at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Blake is in the middle, age 21, senior at UMHB,
and Craig is on the right, age 23, soon to be graduate of the University of San Angelo, and a police officer on the San Angelo P.D.

......words are not necessary........

I went through all of that to get this.....through i really like the muscle one. LOL
It's now tomorrow [1:15 am.], the day after Christmas, and the memories are the same - precious.

How blessed am I to have such good guys that can have so much fun with their old mom?

I sincerely hope that your Christmas was joy filled and that you remembered *and celebrated* the reason for this holiday - the birth of the King.

If you didn't have a joyful day, please let me know - sometimes it helps to talk about the things in our life that keep us from being joyful and I would be honored to talk to you. polkadotbarn@gmail.com

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I love you,

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XOXO,