I think it’s gotten way too serious around these parts recently, so today I’m going to tell you a wonderful story that is 100% true and not serious at all.

Sorry, just a quick note before I begin…

Dear Jennie Garth,

Whilst anyone is more than welcome here, this clearly isn’t the blog for you.  I don’t talk about shoes, or handbags, or blonde hair dye, or child-rearing in sunny Los Angeles.  I know there are many blogs out there that you would enjoy much more.  Go now.  Find them.  This one isn’t for you.

Thanks so much,

the mgmt.

Phew.  OK.  Now that she’s gone, let’s get back to that story.

Many years ago, a friend of mine – who shall remain nameless (but did give me the ok to tell this story) – was working on a television movie with Jennie Garth (slender blonde tv star of the 90’s known for her role on the series “Beverly Hills 90210”).

They were sitting in the make-up trailer doing what actresses do in the make-up trailer: sitting, waiting, getting make-up applied, and chit-chatting about nothing in particular.  My friend had recently returned from a trip to Italy, so she was talking about her travels- what she’d seen, what she’d eaten, how great it had been.

Jennie frowned.  The cast of 90210 had been taken on a first class tour of Italy to shoot a spectacular episode or episodes abroad (I started to do a little research on this fact but became so nauseated by 90210 factoids that I turned off my computer, deciding you would forgive my lack of journalistic integrity).

“Didn’t you absolutely love Italy?” my friend asked.

“It was nice.” Jennie replied.   

(It should be mentioned here that my friend was bewildered every time Jennie said anything because her voice is so high pitched and Minnie Mouse-ish it sounded like she was making a joke.  Literally every time Jennie said anything, my friend would reactively laugh- often inappropriately- just because of the tone of her voice.)

“But the food… isn’t the food in Italy incredible?”

“Well, I’m on a special diet, so I couldn’t enjoy any of the food.”

Here it comes, my friend thought; another starving starlet diet regime.

“What’s your diet?”

“I can only eat… brown rice and Taco Bell.”

Just let it sink in for a sec.  It’s so good.

Think how hard nutritionists and scientists have worked to find food that will bring us both health and welfare while being completely satisfying.  The whole time the answer was right there in front of us all.  Brown Rice and Taco Bell.  So simple.  So easy.  She was really skinny too.   Makes you wonder.

I think good Mexican food is hard to come by.  These Enchiladas are a show stealer.  Every time I make them I wonder why I don’t make them more.  They are not, in any way, shape or form, good for you-  but they’re not Taco Bell either.

Brown Rice sold separately.

Cheese Enchiladas

 Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. Oil
• 1 small minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground Mexican oregano
• 2 tsp. powdered cumin
• 2 Tbs. flour
• ½ cup powdered red chili powder
• 2 ½ cup water
• salt to taste
• 10 corn tortillas
• 1 lb. Monterrey Jack Cheese, grated
• 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
• corn husks for wrapping (because it becomes hard to distinguish where one enchilada ends and another begins if they are placed next to each other in a baking pan)

1)     Sautee the onion and garlic in 2 Tbs. of oil until transparent.  Add the oregano, cumin and flour and whisk to make a light roux.

2)     In a bowl, whisk the chili powder and water until smooth.  Remove the roux from the heat and whisk in chili mixture.  Return to heat, bring to a boil and then cook, over low heat until thick – about 5 minutes.

3)     Heat the cup of oil in a small frying pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With the hot oil on your left, the sauce on your right and your enchilada baking pan in the middle along with the grated cheese, start making the enchiladas as follows…

4)     Using tongs, douse a tortilla in the hot oil just enough to make it flexible.  Transfer it to the sauce and soak it good.  Then place it in the corn husk, in the baking pan, put a line of cheese down the middle, and roll it up putting the tortilla edge underneath.

5)     Bake enchiladas about 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles.