Chalupas with refried beans

The word Chalupa is the name of the boats Aztecs used to get around the canals of Tenochititlan, their capital. Cortez conquered and then razed the city in the early 1500s, using it's site as the center of Ciudad de Mexico. You'll find now, Chalupas are the specialty of the southern regions of Mexico, Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Oh, and Taco Bell. Chalupas are made with a deep fried flat bread, or corn tortilla molded into the shape of a small boat and stuffed with cheese, tomatoes, onions, sour cream, refried beans, beef or chicken and drizzled with salsa. The Americanized version is made generally the same way they make tacos but some use a deep fried wheat flatbread in place of the tortilla. I guess you can say we like ours the old fashioned way with deep fried corn tortilla. But I gotta say, this boat won't float, it's loaded. Generally, I think the thought was to be able to pick them up and eat them. Ours require a plate, fork and a bunch of napkins should you dare to try to pick it up. Cortez.......eat your heart out!

Chalupas

8 fresh corn tortillas

1-1/2 C shortening

Grandmas old cast iron skillet (small)

2 C Spicy refried beans

3 T. half & half, cream, or milk

1-1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese

diced iceberg lettuce, about 1/2 of a head

2-3 small ripe tomatoes, diced

1/2 purple/red onion diced

sour cream

salsa

salt & pepper

Heat shortening to 350 degrees. Run tortillas, one at a time, through the hot shortening until they are crisp. Alternately, you can purchase the shells from your grocer already prepared. Heat refried beans, add milk and a little cheese to flavor and loosen the consistency. Spread beans on chalupa, top with lettuce, tomato, onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa and salt & pepper.

These are easy to set up for a casual party and let everyone fix their own!

Let your taste buds follow your imagination. You can add diced black olives, fresh jalapenos, avocado or guacamole, tobasco, sauteed ground beef, grilled chicken, fajita meat/chicken, grilled onions etc. "Whatever floats your boat" Enjoy!

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JALAPENO SKILLET CORNBREAD

Several years ago, my mom, my sister and I were fortunate to attend a cooking class in Houston featuring a wonderful & gifted chef, Chef Jaime Shannon of Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Sadly, shortly after the class, the culinary world lost this amazing young chef due to illness. For months, before Christmas that year, our parents worked diligently to season two beautiful cast iron skillets, one for each my sister and I. They were ready to bake this cornbread as soon as we received them. Needless to say, this cornbread left quite an impression on us! This is not your grandma’s cornbread. What makes this one so much lighter than most is that we make it like a souffle. We lightly fold in the ingredients instead of stirring them in. We whip the egg whites to a peak so that we fold in lots of air. Then we fold in the sour cream, too. We bake it in a cast-iron skillet and when it comes out steaming and golden brown on top. Mmmmmmm good. 2¼ cups yellow cornmeal 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon baking powder ⅔ cup sugar 3 medium eggs, separated 2½ cups buttermilk ¾ cup sour cream 4 jalapeno peppers, cores, membranes and seeds removed, in small dice 1 red bell pepper, diced 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, in small dice PREHEAT THE SKILLET SEASONED WITH LOVE BY MOM IN A 400 DEGREE OVEN. SIFT the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix together yolks, buttermilk and sour cream. Form a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture and the diced peppers; stir without over mixing. Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak, and then fold them and the butter pieces in to the mixture. POUR the mixture into the skillet, and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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