Decorating in the Desert - Brief Article

Sunset, Dec, 2001

Kick off the holiday season with an evening of tree-trimming and decking the house Southwestern style. The merrymakers will enjoy a buffet featuring a savory stack of enchiladas, followed by hot chocolate and bizcochitos (see page 132.)

DECORATIONS Cowboy boot "stockings" are hung from horseshoe hooks with strips of rawhide; a braided raffia garland is entwined with star-trimmed wire. Dried manzanita, wispy white dried cactus pads, pomegranates, and potted aeonium further dress up the mantel.

WREATH For a new take on holiday greenery, make a wreath of cactus pads. Fasten a wreath hanger or hook to the back of a straw wreath base. Then, using canning tongs to handle the prickly pear cactus pads (8 to 10 should suffice), attach them to the base with wood florist's picks, leaving an opening at the top for the fan palms and desert rose. Arrange the fan palms, glue the rose in place, then glue the whole arrangement to the base. Spray the wreath with clear polyurethane.

GIFT WRAPPING The gifts continue the earthy palette with brown and plain kraft paper, dried plant materials, and raffia Text by Jill Meyers

Decor by Linda Lamb Peters, Bud Stuckey, and Keith Whitney

Stacked Enchilada Pie

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours

NOTES: For a nonvegetarian pie, substitute 2 1/4 cups shredded cooked chicken for the black beans. If cheesecake pan rim is less than 3 inches tall, fold a 36- by 12-inch strip of foil in half twice lengthwise and oil one side. Line rim with strip, oiled side in and edge extending above rim. Pie can be prepared through step 2 up to 1 day ahead. cover and chill pie, remaining chili sauce, and cheese separately. Bake, covered, for 1 hour; uncover and bake until hot in the center, 40 to 50 minutes longer.

MAKES: 8 servings

1 onion (about 8 oz.), peeled and chopped

2 red bell peppers (about 1 lb. total), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed or minced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds About 1 teaspoon salad oil

1 package (1 lb.) frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 cans (about 15 oz. each) black beans, rinsed and drained (see notes)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 can (19 oz.) red chili (enchilada) sauce

8 flour tortillas (10 in. wide)

3 cups shredded pepper jack or plain jack cheese (about 9 oz.)

1 1/2 cups crumbled cotija or feta cheese (about 8 oz.)

1 firm-ripe avocado (about 6 oz.) Fresh cilantro sprigs, rinsed

1. In a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan over high heat, frequently stir onion, bell peppers, garlic, and cumin seeds in 1 teaspoon oil until the onion is limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, beans, and chopped cilantro; remove pan from heat.

3. Bake enchilada pie in a 3500 regular or 3250 convection oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until hot (1600) in the center, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

2. Pour the chili sauce into a 12-inch rimmed pizza pan or 10-inch pie pan. Dip a tortilla in sauce to coat both sides lightly; lift tortilla out, letting excess sauce drip back into pan. Set tortilla in an oiled 10-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim at least 3 inches tall (see notes). Spread 1/7 (about 1 cup) of the vegetable filling level over tortilla. Sprinkly evenly with 1/3 cup jack cheese and 3 tablespoons cotija cheese. Repeat layers, making a total of seven; top with last tortilla. Reserve any leftover chili sauce and remaining jack and cotija cheeses. Cover pan with an oiled piece of foil, oiled side down. Set pan in a rimmed 10- by 15-inch baking pan.

4. Before serving, in a microwave-safe bowl, in a microwave oven on full power (100%), heat remaining chili sauce until hot, 20 to 30 seconds. Pit, peel, and slice avocado.

5. Run a knife between pie and pan rim to loosen. Remove rim, set pie on a platter, and drizzle with chili sauce. Arrange avocado slices in a ring on pie, sprinkle with remaining jack and cotija cheeses, and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Cut into wedges to serve.

Per serving: 597 cal., 41% (243 cal.) from fat; 27 g protein; 27 g fat (12 g sat.); 66 g carbo (7.2 g fiber); 1,784 mg sodium; 56 mg chol.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: Chocolate can be prepared through step 2 up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. To complete, stir often in a 5- to 6-quart pan over low heat until warm, then continue with step 3.

MAKES: 8 servings

2/3 cup slivered almonds

2 quarts milk

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

8 cinnamon sticks (each 4 to 5 in. long), optional

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, stir almonds until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add milk and chocolate to pan and stir occasionally over medium heat just until chocolate is melted (flecks are okay) and milk is hot (do not boil), 12 to 15 minutes. Add sugar, vanilla, and ground cinnamon; stir just until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute.

3. Pour about a third of the hot milk mixture into a blender. Holding lid down with a towel, whirl until very smooth and frothy; pour into a pitcher. Repeat twice to puree remaining mixture. To serve, pour hot chocolate into cups (8 to 12 oz.) and garnish with cinnamon sticks.