Welcome to New Mexico

Today is National New Mexico Day. I suppose I really should talk about how awesome New Mexico is (and it really is) but I’d rather talk about something else if you don’t mind. Hubby and I have vacationed in New Mexico twice. We loved it both times.

So much so that the only custom home we’ve ever owned was a Pueblo that looked like it belonged in New Mexico and not the North-West side of Las Vegas. Although now that I think about it, that wasn’t our first “custom” home. The first three homes we owned were all built by the developer Hubby worked for, so modifications were made. On one, we eliminated at interior wall to expand the master bedroom. On another, we raised the breakfast nook and kitchen a half a level. The last one that we built with his company we actually blew out one of the exterior walls in the living room/dining room by nearly five feet. Had to redesign the support system for the root to account for the greater span, change the foundation and the way the pipes came into the kitchen. It was amazing what a difference that made. The Pueblo House was my next big undertaking after seeing New Mexico. It was through a different builder, so that in itself was a challenge.

Oh, but that Pueblo home was really special. I was at the job site every day. I can remember Hubby coming out to the site to find me on stilts learning out to muddy the dry walls. Or install flashing around the windows. It was a hands on project from beginning to end. Even Kiddo, all of five at the time, was there on the job with me.

What should have been a four-bedroom three bath home became a two bedroom, three bath home with big living spaces. I knocked out a wall in one of the bedrooms that made it open out onto the sunken living room for a formal dining room.

Took out the close in another bedroom to make it a media room with built-in flat screen TV and surround sound. Hunted antique shops for the mirror and a pedestal sink for the guest bath. Had all the kitchen counters lowered to standard bathrom height to accommodate me. (Stand in your bathroom sometime then walk into the kitchen – not the same height.) Had the pantry, wine close and coat closet doors wired so when you opened the door, the light automatically came on, and when you closed the door, the light was off.

Carpeted the garage with indoor-outdoor carpeting. Finished the walls in the garage, built nice floor to ceiling cabinets all the way around. Everything was in a cabinet, including Hubby’s tool box so you could have a party in the garage and not even notice it was a garage. The master shower was a huge walk-in, with seating all the way around and duel showers at opposite sides of the walk-in – a short one for me, a tall one for Hubby so he didn’t have to scrunch down every time he rinsed his hair. I also raised the bathroom cabinets to standard kitchen height. For me it was great because my face was practally in the sink to begin with, and Hubby didn’t have to bend over as far. I even had the good sense to switch out the hot and cold water knobs on the Jacuzzi tub. Our middle grandson is autistic and had a thing for turning on the water in the tub. The way it should have been with hot on the left and cold on the right, he could only reach the hot tap. I was afraid he’d burn his skin, so I switched them and removed the stopper just to be on the safe side. The entire house was tiled in Terracotta, including the patio, front courtyard and balcony.

Once we had settled in and I had a better feel for the place, I stenciled Navajo art work on all the cabinets. No two rooms were painted the same color. Instead of windows that raised or slid in one direction, all the windows were crank style that could catch a breeze from any direction. The house had four Cooling-heating systems, each with its own thermostat. The pool had a beach entrance. Open wood-beam ceiling. Very rustic and bright. I miss that house only because it was my creative masterpiece. The entire gated community were Pueblo-style homes. There were three models, and that’s what people bought. I came in and said okay, but have storage under the stairs. Switch out two bedrooms for other rooms. Open this, move that. The family room should have been two rooms, I made it one that was 800 square feet with a regulation size pool table at one end, a wet bar at the other. The living room had a twenty-two foot tall fireplace with little cut-outs all the way up for small pieces of pottery.

There’s a funny story about the fireplace and it’s little cutouts. I had a commitment with the PTA that day, so I didn’t get to the construction site until the end of the day. The foreman and I had already argued about what I envisioned for the fireplace. When I arrived, it had been finished without a single cutout. I asked about them, he said it was too late. Too late my ass. I got a ladder, a hammer and punched a whole in the exterior of the fireplace as high above the hearth as I could reach. There yah go – first hole. Now you do the rest or I’ll get somebody else who will share my vision. When I’m being creative, the last thing I want is for someone to tell me no.

When we invited our neighbors to our open house, they were all shocked. While similar on the outside (except garage doors), nothing on the inside was like theirs. People – model homes are suggestions. Interior walls are easy to move. Exterior walls take a little more work. Modifications are always possible. And the best part of having your own untrained vision is that there are no rules to follow, only obstacles to overcome.

In honor of New Mexico and feeling a bit nostalgic for what once was, I give you an amazing Friday Night Supper. While I’m not redesigning homes anymore, I sure enjoy some creative fun in the kitchen.

Green Chili Four Cheese Enchiladas
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack Cheese, divided
2 cups shredded Chihuahua Melting Cheese, divided
2 cups shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
4 oz can Hatch Green Chili
1 (20 oz) can Commercial Can Green Enchilada Sauce
12 small White Corn Tortillas
Cilantro, garnish if desired

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together 1-1/2 cups each of Pepper Jack, and Chihuahua cheeses along with all the Cheddar cheese. Crumble in the Queso Fresco, blend together. Add Hatch Green Chilies. If necessary, moisten with a little enchilada sauce to help bind the cheeses together. Set aside.

Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce into a casserole dish, just enough to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Set aside.

Warm tortillas to make rolling easier. Spray a griddle pan with a little cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Pour some Enchilada Sauce into a pie pan. Dip one tortilla at a time into the Enchilada Sauce, letting excess drip back into the pan. Place tortilla on warmed griddle pan. Warm for about 30 seconds. Flip over and heat until soft and playable. Remove from pan. Stack tortillas on a plate until ready to fill.

Place about 1/2 cup cheese mixture down the center of each tortilla. Fold/roll to hold cheese in place. Place filled enchiladas, seem side down, in the prepared casserole dish.

If any cheese mixture is remaining, scatter over the filled enchiladas. Pour sauce over the cheese, then scatter remaining half-cup of Pepper Jack and Chihuahua cheese. Cover with foil, bake for 10 minutes

Remove from oven, remove foil. Return to oven, and bake just until the cheeses begin to soften, about 10 more minutes..

Let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with cilantro and serve with favorite Mexican sides such as rice and beans. Don’t forget the Margaritas!

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Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.