This Poor Guy Thought He Married a "Latina"

(My DH and his beautiful "Latina" wife at a Cinco de Mayo dinner last May...

his wife was not the cook!)

I think when my DH found out that his new bride-to-be was half-Mexican, he was thrilled. Mmm! Yummy Mexican food every night...tacos, enchiladas, tamales. Wrong!

My mother, of Mexican descent, is a fantastic cook. You see, it is in her blood.

(Pictured above is my mother with her brothers and sisters and cousins..she is in the front on the right)

(Pictured above, my grandparents, as they looked about the time they came to the US.)

You see, my grandparents came here from Mexico in the 1920's and opened a tortilla factory, Manuel's Mexican American Fine Foods in Salt Lake City. And for many years they ran a restaurant called El Mercado. When my DH and I were in college, starving students, we would eat many nights at El Mercado. That food kept us alive. Today, my cousins run the tortilla factory and distant cousins still run restaurants in Salt Lake City.

So my mother raised us on delicious Mexican dishes that she had learned to make from her parents. And did she teach me how to make those Mexican dishes?

(My mom in her 'latin-lover' look... in her prime.)

No. Growing up, the kitchen was my mother's domain. There were four girls in our family and my mother never really taught us to cook. My poor DH had to suffer through years of trial and error, until I could figure it out how to do more than boil water! I still don't cook like a true "Latina", but I do ok. And I know how to get to the nearest Del Taco when we want some decent Mexican food!

Here's an recipe you might enjoy. It's a very American-ized Enchilada Casserole, and a family favorite.

Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned, drained
10 oz. can enchilada (I like "mild" LaVictoria brand)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 dozen corn tortillas, torn
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese






Combine ground beef, sauce, and soups in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed.
In a greased 13x9 baking pan, layer half of the tortillas, half of the meat mixture and half of the cheese.

Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350-degrees for 30 min. Serves 6-8.











Que aproveche!