Honeygram's Cheese Enchiladas and Chili con Carne

Today on Hardscrabble Gourmet, a new cooking video! In episode 7 I'm cooking up my drunken grandmother's cheese enchiladas with chili con carne. I have no idea where this recipe came from originally. My grandmother lived in Weslaco, Texas which is on the border with mexico and this dish does reflect some influences from northern Mexico. On the other hand the chili con carne is neither Mexican or Texican as far as I can tell. Typical Mexican Chili uses a salsa en polvo as it's base. This is a combination of Ancho, Pasilla, and either Chile de Arbol or Chipotle chiles pulverized in a mocahete. Very spicy! Comino, garlic, and Mexican oregano might also be added. In the US we use commercially prepared chili powder which usually contains ground Ancho, Paprika, and Comino. In contrast my grandmothers recipe contains Ancho, re-hydrated not ground, and garlic. Thats's it. You would think the chili would be less flavorful, but it's not the case. Ancho's have a deep complex flavor that's unique among chiles and the garlic provides a perfect counterpoint. The re-hydrated chile meat also produces a completely different texture and taste experience compared to powdered Ancho. Whatever it's origin's, Honeygram had a winner with this recipe and I'm proud to share it with you. The cooking is going to be a full blown fiesta and after you eat these you'll need a serious siesta so grab a margarita and let's get cooking!