Fearless Females: Recipe

Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.

As a kid loved, I mean LOVED, having “Frito Pie.”  It is in no way healthy for you, but it tastes so good!  Trust me, I tried to make it healthy and it just didn’t taste right.  My mom’s mom made this for us on occasion, and thanks to my Uncle I know where she got it from.  This was served at Ashley's Cafe, under a different name, a restaurant owned by the Ashley Canning Company in El Paso, Texas.  Ashley canned all types of Mexican foods, and was the first to be successful at it!  You can read an article from the El Paso Times Herald dated April 4, 1953 here.

Of course, how cool is it that when I went looking for pictures to go with this post there are TONS of images of Frito Pie out there.  Shocked and amazed.  Not that crazy family recipe anymore!

Ingredients:
Bag of Fritos
Can of Hormel Chili
Bag of shredded Cheddar cheese
1 lb Hamburger
Toppings:  sour cream, tomatoes, jalapenos, chopped onions, etc…

Directions:
1.       Brown the hamburger and drain.  Add the chili and warm. 
2.      Next layer the hamburger, Fritos, and Cheese in a baking dish.  Top it with cheese layer
3.      Bake until the cheese is melted.  (I like it when it gets crispy on the edges)
4.      Serve hot with extra Fritos on the side and whatever other fixings you want.

Variations:
I like to brown an onion with the hamburger.  Instead of canned chili I have also used red kidney beans and chili seasoning in the hamburger mixture with tomato paste.  Also, you can now find Mexican blend shredded cheese in the cooler sections of the store if you want to cut down a bit on the grease from the cheddar.

*Images: Mr. Wright via photopin cc