Person preparing a Christmas cookie platter with decorated gingerbread cookies at a holiday gathering.

GRANDMA CELE’S CHRISTMAS TAMALES

Tamales are synonymous with the holidays in Texas, known to take over entire home kitchens for days, as families and neighbors form an assembly line to craft dozens upon dozens ahead of the big day. Making tamales is about more than the finished dish, however. It’s a beloved social tradition in which quality time is spent, stories are swapped, heritage is passed down, and plenty of laughs are had. Grandma Cele’s kitchen typically crafted over 400 tamales every year, using this recipe that has been handed down through four generations.

Ingredients

  • 24 corn husks, soaked until soft

  • 4 lbs Pork Shoulder or Butt (Grandma Cele’s family preferred pork, but you can substitute beef chuck roast.)

  • 20 guajillo chiles, seeds removed (for spicier meat, leave in the seeds)

  • 1 garlic bulb (either a bulb of fresh, or a big spoonful of the jarred minced garlic)

  • 1 White onion

  • Chicken bouillon (Knorr brand is Grandma Cele-approved) – 5 Tablespoons of powder or 10 cubes

  • 4 Pounds Pre-Made Masa (you can find this at most Hispanic grocery stores)

  • 1 cup red chile sauce

Instructions

  • Filling: In a large pot, cover the meat of your choice with water. Add chiles, garlic, onion, and bouillon. Simmer 2½ to 3 hours until tender. Shred the meat and save some of the broth (at least 3 cups).

  • Sauce: Blend the boiled chiles, garlic, and 1 cup of the reserved broth until smooth. Add back to the pot and cook for a few more minutes then add the shredded beef.

  • Prep the masa: In a large bowl mix the masa, and some of the reserved chile sauce, and a little salt or bouillon. Depending on how tough your Masa is, add more chile sauce. Adding more chile sauce will depend on how hard your Masa is to work with. You want it thick, but you also want it easy to spread on your corn husks.

  • Assembly: Spread Masa on each softened husk, add a spoonful of beef filling (be sure you use a slotted spoon as you don’t want your meat overly soupy). Fold the sides in and the bottom up to close.

  • Steam: Stand tamales upright in a steamer, cover, and cook about 1 hour until the masa pulls away easily from the husk.

Multiple colorful ears of corn, including red, yellow, and purple varieties stacked together.

SNOW PUDDING CIRCA 1910

College of Industrial Arts

Denton, TX

A page from a vintage cookbook or manual with a recipe for snow pudding from the College of Industrial Arts. The ingredients listed are gelatin, cold water, eggs, boiling water, sugar, and lemon juice.

CHEF TANIA PEREGRINO’S SECO DE RES

Executive Chef, AMAR Restaurant in El Paso

“I was born into a house where aromas spoke louder than words. In my family, cooking is a language of affection, a ritual of care. My roots are deeply Mexican, but I found myself drawn to Peruvian flavors, and I later discovered why: I carry a high percentage of Chilean and Peruvian blood. From there, my kitchen turned into a bridge between these cultures. I selected this recipe to share for the holiday season because the holidays amplify everything: love, memories, generosity. I wanted to share a dish that feels soulful, traditional and deeply comforting.  

For me, the holidays are a time when the house fills with laughter, music and the scent of something slowly braising. I cook endlessly during this season, and it’s when new ideas are born in the most sacred of spaces: the family table. This dish was born of that season, in my home kitchen, when I wanted to make something that felt like a warm embrace. This dish tastes like celebration, and it serves as a reminder that food is love made visible.”

Chef Tania

Ingredients

● 1 kg beef short rib or chuck (cut generously)

● 1 cup cilantro paste

● 1⁄2 cup dark beer

● 1 cup beef broth

● 1⁄2 red onion, garlic, ají amarillo, ají mirasol or substitute with banana peppers, pasilla, guajillo and serrano forming a blended chili paste if you can’t find Peruvian peppers

● 1⁄2 cup peas, 1⁄2 carrot diced

● Cumin, black pepper, salt

● Fresh lime and rice to serve

Various bowls filled with spices and herbs placed on a mat in front of a wooden door.
Interior of a cafe with artwork, plants, and warm decor, showing a counter area with staff and a large white wall hanging with abstract black line art.

Method

1. Brown the beef deeply until it smells like the beginning of a story.

2. Sauté onions, garlic, ají amarillo and mirasol — let them sing together.

3. Add the meat back, deglaze with dark beer, and let the bitterness turn to caramel.

4. Stir in cilantro paste and broth; simmer slowly until the sauce turns green and glossy.

5. Add peas and carrots near the end, so they stay tender and bright.

6. Serve with white rice, a squeeze of lime, and a moment of gratitude.