Feeding My Family

...and I feel like such a lucky girl. Jason travels to New Mexico a few times a year for work. Because he is a smart and sweet sort of husband, he brings me stuff when he comes back. Sometimes green chiles, sometimes delightful piñon candy-with-a-kick from Señor Murphy in Santa Fe, sometimes pistachios (red or green chile flavored, of course). And usually tortillas, too. Really delicious freshly made corn tortillas.

Somehow, the corn tortillas I get in the stores here are always dry, and usually pretty thin. But the ones Jason brought home are much more moist, thick, and tender, with a true fresh corn flavor. They're wonderful right out of the bag. Later on we'll make some great tacos and enchiladas with them.

But this day was warm, and by late afternoon it was also quite humid. We'd spent a good portion of the day outside and I was feeling hot and tired. Time for a beer on the deck. And to accompany that beer- homemade chips with salsa. They're so quick to make.

While the vegetable oil heats in a cast iron skillet or pot over medium-high heat, you cut or tear the tortillas into pieces. Set a large plate lined with a paper towel next to the stove and get out a pair of tongs, too. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a piece of tortilla on contact, carefully slide a batch of tortilla pieces into the oil. After a minute or two, use the tongs to flip the chips over. You want to see them change color by a shade or two, but don't let them get brown. It's a very short distance from brown to burned. When the chips are golden and crisp, use the tongs to remove them to the paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. It takes just a few minutes to do several batches, enough for a small bowlful of chips.

Few things are better than a cold beer, crisp chips, and salsa. Very few things.