Speaking of Austin

Speaking of Austin, my Aunt Sheila is from there (Well, technically she is from Dothan, Alabama, just like the rest of my Dad's siblings, but she has lived in Austin as long as I've been alive.), and whenever I think about a great cook, a picture of her big smile drifts across my mind. I'm sure there are some technically greater "masters" that I've come in contact with through the years, but Aunt Sheila has a joie de vivre that makes everything pop. She loves life, and food, and cooking, and even if you think Texas popcorn (that would be fried jalapenos) isn't your thing, I guarantee that if you had it from her happy hands in her warm and alive kitchen, you'd be won over in a moment. I have an especially great love of her now, because she has lived in Dothan for the past year or so (because of some temporary changes in her husband's job), and has single-handedly rescued my Dad from a life of tomato soup and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches...the thought of which kept me up at night after Mom passed away. Saying all that, I would now like to share Aunt Sheila's Chicken Enchilada recipe!

Can I give a shout-out to Jenny Strange here? Who emailed me for this recipe over a month ago, and I haven't responded because I've been meaning to post this recipe for that long. Sorry Jenny, but here it is!

Ingredients: 1/2 stick of butter (melted), 1/4 cup of flour, 2 cups of chicken broth (or stock), 1 can of chopped green chiles (I use 2 to add an extra kick), 8 oz sour cream (more like 12 oz if you're me), 6 large flour tortillas, 4 chicken breasts (or a rotisserie chkn), Monetary Jack grated cheese (about 10 oz)

I hope you've all made friends with your local Rotisserie Chicken:

Every time a casserole calls for "chicken", it's what I use. It's tender and tasty and worth every last one of it's five dollars. (I think they sell them at all grocery stores that have a hot food section--including Walmart, but I will say that they are best from Sams.) I also pour my "drippings" (you know, that juice in the bottom of the dish holding the chicken) into a pan where I will later make my rice. Don't turn your little nose up! I guarantee that every good southern meal you've ever had, has been due to the magical presence of drippings.

Pull off the meat (and try not to get grossed out by the fact that these chickens have NECKS and BUTTS) and chop it up. Grate your cheese, and mix these two ingredients together as the filling for your enchiladas.Make a white sauce of your first five ingredients. I suggest adding them in the order they're listed (You know, mix your melted butter and flour together first and so forth) in order to prevent clumps. Aren't you excited to have an enchilada recipe that doesn't call for any "Cream of..." soup? It makes all the difference!Spray a 9x13 baking dish, and pour a layer of white sauce in the bottom (because your enchiladas are going to be filling the pan so tightly that none of the good sauce will be able to get down there if you don't...and they'll taste kinda dry.)

Then, take your flour tortillas,Fill them with a few tablespoons of your chicken/cheese filling mix.Tuck 'em and roll 'em.Pour the rest of your white sauce over the top (scooting the rolls around a little to get sauce in all the crevices). Sprinkle with some grated cheese (if you happen to have some in the fridge like I always do) to add some color, and bake at 350 until bubbly (30-45 minutes).

While it's cooking I make some Mexican rice and beans to go with it. I make my rice by doing a 1:2 ratio of rice and chicken broth (don't forget those magical drippings as well) and add a can of Rotel. (For those who like hard numbers--like me. Pour 1 1/2 cups of rice, 3 cups of chicken broth, and 1 can of rotel into your pot that has some drippings in the bottom. Cover. Bring to a boil. Turn down to low and simmer until tender. Stir it up and serve.)

And now, my dirty little secret...I like refried beans, better than black. Gasp! If I was having company, I'd probably do black beans, but I'd be missing my dirty 'ol refried beans. Somebody asked me recently how in the world I make refried beans. In case that was you, get ready for it...

I open the can and dump them in a pot to warm over the stove.

Take out your bubbling, delicious enchiladas.And serve it up (With a salad, of course, if you have the last name Maddox and you can't eat dinner without one)!

I'm sorry that this picture is so bad. Is that drop of refried beans on the white plate driving anyone else crazy? By the time I was making plates, my girls were sitting at the table banging their forks (we're so civilized!) and Jeremiah was standing behind me saying, "Are you seriously taking pictures of our dinner plates?! Step away from the camera." as he tried to slide his plate away. So, the finale picture is bad, but I hope you enjoy Aunt Sheila's Enchiladas!!!!