Tex-Mex Enchiladas

12 corn tortillas
1 recipe Basic Tex-Mex Sauce
1 pound mild Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup onion, minced (optional)

Soften the tortillas in hot vegetable oil. Place them on paper towels to drain. When they are cool enough to handle, immerse them in the sauce. Place about an ounce of cheese and some onion, if desired, just off center of each tortilla and roll the enchiladas. Place 3 enchiladas on each of 4 ovenproof serving plates. Top the enchiladas liberally with the sauce and add more cheese and onion, if used. Place plates in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10 minutes.

Serve the enchiladas with rice and refried beans. You can garnish the beans with a little grated cheese and stick a couple tortilla chips in them.

Tex-Mex Enchiladas

1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon red chili powder (or more)
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas
1 onion, chopped
2 cups grated Longhorn cheese

Melt shortening in a heavy skillet. Stir in flour and make a roux. Add chili powder and water; stir and cook until the gravy is thick. Keep warm while preparing the tortillas.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease an oven-proof casserole dish.

Heat oil in a skillet and lightly fry each tortilla for about 5 seconds on each side. Do not overcook or they will get rubbery. Drain on paper towels.

Dip each tortilla in the gravy, put some of the onion and cheese on the tortilla, roll it up, and place it, seam side down, in a casserole dish. Repeat until all 6 tortillas have been rolled. Pour the chili gravy over the tortillas, top with more cheese, and bake for about 10 minutes.

Serves 2.

Tex-Mex Pork Chops

4 (4 ounce) boneless pork chops
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 to 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lime juice

In a large nonstick skillet, brown pork chops on one side over medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining ingredients. Turn chops; pour cranberry mixture over chops in skillet, bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until chops are just done and still tender.

Serve with rice, if desired.

Serves 4.

Tex-Mex Fajitas

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups lean steak strips or 4 cups chicken breast strips
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper (or to taste)
1 cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
10 large flour or corn tortillas
2 cups basic red sauce or prepared salsa
1 pint sour cream
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
Salt, to taste (optional)

Put olive oil and garlic in a preheated wok. Stir-fry the steak or chicken and add the salt and cook until it is almost done. Then add onions, green peppers, lemon juice, Chipotle pepper and cook until the onions and peppers are limp. When finished, pour into a bowl and prepare the fajita on a tortilla with the salsa, sour cream and Cheddar cheese.

Makes 8 fajitas.

Tex-Mex Baked Potatoes

4 baking potatoes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (12 ounce) jar mild or hot salsa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped stuffed green olives
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
Sliced tomatoes

Scrub potatoes; pierce skin with fork. Bake at 400 degrees F until tender, about 1 hour.

Fifteen minutes before potatoes are done, saute meat in hot skillet until all pink disappears. Add salsa and chili powder to meat. Cover. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Add green pepper and olives to meat mixture. Heat through.

Cut baked potatoes open. Spoon hot meat mixture into potatoes. Top at once with cheese so that it melts slightly.

Serve with lettuce sprinkled on top and with sliced tomatoes alongside.

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate-Mocha Frosting

Source: McCall’s – October 1996

Sheet Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate-Mocha Frosting
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup strong coffee (milk may be substituted
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

Sheet Cake: Sift sugar, flour, baking soda and cinnamon together into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Combine water, butter or margarine, oil and cocoa in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Watch carefully so mixture does not scorch. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Combine buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract and stir into chocolate batter. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch cake pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes (slightly longer if using a glass pan).

Start making Chocolate Mocha Frosting about 5 minutes before cake is done.

Chocolate-Mocha Frosting: Combine butter or margarine, cocoa and coffee (or milk) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in confectioners’ sugar gradually. Add vanilla extract and pecans. Mix and spread on the hot cake while it is still in the pan.

Texs Breakfast Burritos

12 flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 pound bacon
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 onion, sliced
3 1/2 tablespoons salsa
6 eggs

Cook bacon until crisp. Using same pan with a little grease, cook onion. Crumble bacon coarsely and return to pan. Beat eggs; stir into pan. Cook until eggs are set. Fold in cubed tomatoes and salsa. Fill warm tortillas with egg mixture.