Enjoying the Food and Culture of the Land of Enchantment

If you read our Let’s Go blog you’ll know that New Mexico, our featured state this week, is the hot air balloon capital of America. But did you also know that New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment? How dreamy does that sound, girlfriends? According to Food, Wine, and Travel Magazine, it’s so named because “you will become enraptured with its culture, scenery, and cuisine.” 

From fiery to sweet, New Mexico’s mix of cultures and tastes makes the nation’s 47th state a must-visit culinary destination. The cuisine is a blend of Native American, Spanish, and Anglo tastes— different from Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.

While it shares traits with Mexican and Tex-Mex, it is distinctively New Mexico. Chile (click the link and scroll down to the bottom) is the main ingredient that makes New Mexico’s food stand out. Staples on New Mexico menus include beef and chicken enchiladas, tamales, carne adovada (red chile-marinated pork), burritos, huevos rancheros, and chiles rellenos. My mouth is watering!

Let’s Eat…in!

Enchiladas

So, enchiladas is what’s for dinner tonight! This recipe is easy, quick, and delicious.

Ingredients for 5 | Multiply by degree of hunger, divide by number of girlfriends!

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef (you could substitute ground turkey)

• 2 each 10 ounce cans Old El Paso® red enchilada sauce

• 1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles

• 1 package (8.2 ounces) Old El Paso® 6 inch flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas 
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish or pan with cooking spray.

Step 2

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, brown beef over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.

Step 3

Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and the chiles.

Step 4

Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly in baking dish. 

Step 5

Spread 1/4 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. 

Step 6

Wrap tortillas tightly around filling. Place in baking dish, seam side down.

Step 7

Top with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Step 8

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving

Let’s Eat…out! 

Staying at a hotel-type lodging and not able to cook for your girlfriends? Here are a couple of great options:

• El Patron | Everyone knows I’m a “tequila girl”, so what’s more perfect than a restaurant named Patrón?          And, even more perfect is where this recommendation comes from—a true girlfriend experience! A member of my Queen Dream Team tells of her 92-year old mother-in-law who chose this restaurant to meet up with a girlfriend she has often spoken with, but hadn’t seen for almost 70 years! After, they bragged how it was as though they were back working together when they were teens at the telephone company in New York City. That’s what we’re talking about here at My Girlfriendships®! 

The recommendation has proven superb. The Tamale plate—two homemade pork tamales topped with red or green chile and cheese—is what I’m craving now and will definitely be ordering! 

• Zacatlán | When you’re in Santa Fe, you have to check out Zacatlán Restaurant. The name Zacatlán comes from the origins of chef Eduardo Rodriguez who was born in the north-central Mexican town of Zacatecas, which means "the habitants of the land where grass grows". The restaurant Zacatlán is the nahuatl translation for "land with an abundance of grass", and that is where their idea of Zacatlán Restaurant began. The steak taco—flat iron steak, sweet corn and cactus salsa, avocado, and salsa macha— sounds like everything I want from our trip to Zacatlán. 

I love that you were with me today. See you tomorrow! XO 

Lisa A.K.A. Loopie 

Recipe source:

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-beef-enchiladas/c43a8fe7-628d-4f29-8492-1c7f87b05bc9

Photo credit:

https://unsplash.com