Summary

The website content details a family recipe for Mexican Casserole, passed down through three generations, reflecting the blending of Tex-Mex cuisine with personal family touches.

Abstract

The article recounts the story of Poppy, who fell in love with Tex-Mex food after moving to Texas, and Grammy, who perfected a Mexican Casserole recipe that became a family favorite. Over the years, the recipe was adapted by Poppy's son and grandchild to suit their tastes. The dish, which can be made with various types of chili and optional ingredients like chicken or hamburger meat, is simple to prepare and has become a staple at family gatherings, with the author encouraging readers to adopt it as their own tradition.

Opinions

The author expresses a strong emotional connection to the Mexican Casserole, as it represents family heritage and unity.
The author suggests a preference for healthier cooking methods, opting to soften tortillas with water instead of frying them in oil.
There is an appreciation for versatility in the recipe, with the author noting that any canned chili can be used and that additional meat is optional.
The author emphasizes the ease of making the dish, especially with canned chili, and its suitability for potlucks, indicating its crowd-pleasing nature.
The author's fondness for the recipe is evident, as they have made it for years and it remains a beloved dish without leftovers.

Poppy’s Favorite Meal Grammy Would Make for Him

My grandfather aka Poppy, loved Tex-Mex food. He was born in Chicago but moved to Texas after he married my grandmother, aka Grammy.

When he married Grammy, she was a widow with 2 daughters and then they had a daughter together, my mom. My mom didn’t even know that her 2 sisters were step sisters until the oldest one died during childbirth.

In Texas, they all formed a family and loved the southern cooking and Tex-Mex foods that they encountered. They didn’t have a lot of money, so Grammy cooked almost every meal.

My dad adapted the recipe to his way of liking and I adapted the recipe to our way of liking.

Three generations strong still enjoying basically the same meal, I refer to it as simply Mexican Casserole.

You can use canned chili in it for a quick easy meal, or provide your own homemade which is often what I do when I have leftover chili. In this recipe, we will just be using canned chili. Any canned chili will work, I have used Turkey Chili and Vegetarian Chili, and if you like it more spicy, go bold.

Mexican Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray the casserole dish (mine shown is an 8" x 8" square glass pan, if you double the recipe, just use a 9" x 13" pan).

Ingredients:

8 corn tortillas

one can of chili

**I also add cooked diced chicken, about 3/4 cup, my dad added cooked hamburger meat — this is optional.**

one package of chili seasoning

3/4 cup water

1 cup of grated cheese (measure with your heart)

optional toppings; tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, sour cream

Soften the corn tortillas — I do this by wetting them lightly with water and placing them in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, just enough to get them softened. I usually do 3 at a time on a plate. My dad would lightly fry his in oil to soften them, but I chose a healthier route.

Place 4 tortillas in a pan, after softening them.

Pour the chili in a pot with water and chili seasoning, here you can add the additional meat if you choose. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes. This is just to bring the water and the seasonings together.

Pour 1/2 the chili mixture on top of the 4 corn tortillas and sprinkle 1/2 the cheese on top. The chili can be very liquid at this point, it's okay if it seeps under the tortillas, you don’t need to thicken it. It will thicken in the oven on its own.

Then repeat, tortillas, chili, and cheese.

Bake in the oven for 20 -30 minutes, just long enough to be bubbly and the cheese melted.

Serve on plates and add your own toppings — or don’t. In the first photo, you can see I added avocado, tomatoes, and lettuce. This cuts like a casserole and serves 4. The recipe easily doubles!

I grew up on this dish, I have made this dish for years and there are never any leftovers when I take this to a potluck!

Hope you make it as well and it may become your new tradition!