Food "Packages"

I love opening packages—especially gaily wrapped ones that are meant for me. Perhaps that is why the food package has always been so popular in every ethnic cuisine. Whether the food is wrapped in an inedible substance such as parchment, foil or banana leaves, or—even more enticing—an edible such as a hollow vegetable or dough—it is an intriguing and delicious surprise.

Stuffed vegetables are a great way to teach children to eat and even love them. When I was little I really didn’t like green peppers (no surprise there), but my Mom made the best stuffed peppers in the world. I liked the way they looked and smelled—but not the way they tasted at first. I would eat the yummy hamburger, corn, tomato and spicy filling topped with delicious melt-y cheese and leave the shell. Eventually, the taste of the green pepper shell that had permeated the filling became familiar and delicious, too. And, as I grew up, I began to love the pepper.

Dough has long been an established fill-able food. Just trying to list the variety of filled dough is exhausting, but think spring rolls, won-tons, dim sum, piragi, ravioli—even desserts—filled crepes, cannoli, pies—need I continue?

Perhaps it’s prosaic to include the sandwich, or its newer counterpart the wrap, but these are packages, too. The sandwich was invented centuries ago to contribute to convenience and multi-tasking—thus becoming the first fast food.

But with all those listed above, none has enjoyed more popularity than the tortilla. South-of-the-border foods first became a sensation in the middle of the 20th century and have gone on to be close rivals of Italian cuisine in the United States. Our American versions of Mexican standards do change a little in the translation, but that has been the basis of all American cooking from its inception. Mexican or Tex-Mex foods are now so popular it is hard to believe they were not always standard fare. A couple of the reasons that I like it so much are the tremendous variety and ease of preparation.

The following recipe has been in my file since 1973 when I found myself in Ottumwa, Iowa with a two-year-old and a baby on the way. We were a close group of pilots and pilots’ wives trying to keep a struggling small local airline from going under. (It didn’t work). No one had any money and no one knew anyone else in the town, yet, so our social life consisted of taking our children and going to one or another’s house for dinner. We had ample ability to show off all the newest recipes we found in magazines or gleaned from the newspaper or our Moms. This enchilada dish has served me and hundreds of my family members and guests for almost 40 years and I have never tired of it. It is quick and easy; it lends itself to many variations; it is colorful; and, best of all, it is delicious!

Barb Youngquist’s Easy Enchiladas

8 large flour tortillas
1 pound hamburger
½ onion, chopped
4 cans mild enchilada sauce
½ cup chopped ripe olives
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can chopped green chiles
Sour cream

Brown hamburger and onion until onion is soft and transparent. Drain. Add green chiles and ½ the ripe olives. Lay 1 tortilla on flat surface and put 1/8 of meat mixture on tortilla. Roll up tightly. Repeat with rest of tortillas and filling. Spread ½ cup of enchilada sauce in pan. Lay each filled tortilla, seam side down, in pan. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over tortillas in pan. Spread cheese evenly over tortillas; sprinkle the rest of the ripe olives down center of dish. Cover loosely with a piece of parchment cut to fit casserole. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with sour cream, lime wedge, cilantro sprig and refried beans on the side.

Here is my Mom’s recipe for stuffed peppers.

6 large green peppers
1 pound hamburger
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 8-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
¾ cup cooked rice
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices American cheese
2 Tbsp. chili sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp chili powder

Cut tops from peppers; discard seeds and membranes. Set in glass baking dish and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Sprinkle insides with salt. In skillet, brown hamburger and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in corn, tomato sauce, rice, Cheddar cheese. Cover each pepper with 1 slice American cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees about 35 minutes.