Tex-Mex Enchiladas

Home-cooked meals give a sense of unity and connects positivity in life. My mother’s meals are a masterpiece; they are filled with special flavors and spices.
As my mother used to say “Food is the language of love.”
Whenever my mother cooks, she does it with joy and excitement. The kitchen is packed with flavors of different seasonings and more. On my 18th birthday, my mother made these delicious, savory Tex-Mex enchiladas. I’ve learned that these enchiladas are different from any other. It required time and delicacy, but it was simply an addiction. When the enchiladas were baked, the tortillas were crisp and the smells of the spices were mouth-watering. The sauce for the Tex-Mex enchiladas had a spicy taste that didn’t burn my tongue and
a gooey cheese that wasn’t overwhelming. The Tex-Mex enchiladas were just a taste of Texas.
Love doesn’t come around at every meal. Unfortunately, dessert does.
New Year’s Eve is a time to celebrate with friends and family, and countdown the end of one year and the beginning of another. My family gathered around and cheered for the New Year, but without my mother’s famous flan the whole meal wouldn’t be complete. Flan is thick custard that with one small bite, it goes a long way. I couldn’t even swallow a mouthful of food and considered it, the most divinely smooth and creamy dessert. That was it – I fell in love. The sinful combination of the caramel and the hint of vanilla, made me devoured it. This flan was the perfect last course to end the year.
Coming from Mexico to New York City, gave my mother new hopes and challenges. As she roamed the streets of the Big Apple in the 80s, she found a job in a restaurant called “El Rio Grande.” My mother went with much experience, but she had to learn a new and unique style of cooking. The new Texas chefs in New York were slowly trying to change people’s minds about Tex-Mex meals. They worked hard to create this kind of Texas cuisine by showing that their own heritage has gastronomic strength. El Rio Grande’s Tex-Mex dishes expressed both the innovative and the traditional. But the city wasn’t the only one to first experience this new cuisine. When my mother cooked this food for the first time, she thought that the Tex-Mex enchiladas had too many spices, and that the flan was too sweet. As time passed she continued to cook these meals but with a twist. In the late 90s, my mother decided to move to Texas and bring her Tex-Mex cuisine. She made changes to the recipes by adding new ingredients to make these dishes more exciting.
For those who love food, the holiday season means one thing in particular… It’s tamale time! As much as tamales taste good with meat, sometimes we need something sweet.
Tamales are a traditional meal for celebration or a special treat for parties. On every Christmas, my family makes tamales, but they have their own way to prepare and present it. On a cold Christmas morning, my mother prepared us these sweet red Tamales de Dulce. I could smell the love in the air by walking in the kitchen. Cooking the tamales might have taken long, but it was all worth it. When I unwrapped the tamale, the color red was so vibrant that it stained the tips of my fingers, and when I pulled it apart I could see the steam coming from the tamale. With just one bite of it, I could taste a bit of sweetness that made me feel warm inside.
At an early age, my mother was taught to be independent; she learned how to cook and work hard.
Along with responsibilities, she created special memories with her family. When the holidays were arriving, they would gather around to make special meals for the celebrations and feast days. Making tamales are a culinary requirement, and the ritual of women gathering in the kitchen to make something cherished and eaten all throughout the holidays. My mother and her sisters would make the fillings and masa the day before. The following day, they would spread the masa on corn husks, fill and fold the tamales. Once all the tamales were assembled, they are steamed and finally eaten. Tamales are a magical thing and a particular taste memory. The process of making tamales is communicated across generations, encompassing the value of family, and nourishment. It’s the combination of a good time, the smells, and the wonderful taste that combines to create a wonderful memory that will last a lifetime. Tamales are traced back in the indigenous cultures of the Americas, and each culture and region has its own specialty and way of making them. This treat has an infinite number of flavors and combinations - From sweet to savory, mild to spicy, simple to complex and everything in between. Overall, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas if it doesn’t have homemade
tamales.
Experiencing both styles of cooking showed my mother effortless preparations and fresh, flavorful ingredients.
The major differences between authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine are its ingredients and range cookery. Cumin, ground beef, and American cheese, for instance, is not used widely in Mexico as in Tex-Mex. Modern Texas food is a crossbreed on gulf coast, Mexican, southwestern, seafood, and the wide array of chile peppers is central to the new kitchens. Tex-Mex style is less exotic, based more on tradition. Its ingredients are indigenous and the food can be spicy, without being old-fashioned Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex cooking is a simplified form of Mexican country cooking. With effortless preparations and fresh, flavorful ingredients, Mexican home cooking can be simple and delicious. Mexican food is regionally diverse and flavorful. Its cooking covers the main ingredients and offers a few simple kitchen commandments that make great results. On Tex-Mex and Mexican dishes, there are worlds of differences when it comes to toppings. Tex-Mex meals are frequently topped with shredded lettuce, sour cream, American cheese, and gravy. While in Mexico, crema is used rather than sour cream, and fresh cheese is the norm.
My mother has taught me art, love, and the passion for food. Whenever I have a family of my own, I would like to carry and share these special moments between my mother and I. If my mother was a food, she’s the most special one; one of a kind and delicious food.