Time for a little Texas Trivia!

What is the official snack of the state of Texas?

I know, all of you out there NOT from Texas are saying, “Texas has an official snack?”….Why, yes we DO!

IT’S TORTILLA CHIPS AND SALSA!

Is anyone REALLY surprised?  Not if you’re FROM Texas.

 Official Snack of  Texas

I learned this interesting tidbit of information shortly before we moved to Texas.  My first thought was, “Yet ANOTHER reason to move to Texas!”

I have ALWAYS LOVED Chips and Salsa!!!!! I can eat an embarrassing amount of them, and far too often do.  My family or anyone who has frequented a Mexican restaurant with me knows.  My obsession with chips and salsa (really all Mexican food) started quite young.  In fact, my first job at sixteen was at a fast food place….Del Taco!  I figured, “Hey, they could just pay me in burritos!”  But since that wasn’t legal they paid me a whopping $3.35 per hour…plus half price food when I worked.  I was “living the life!”

Years went by and I continued to buy bags of chips. Oh, but there just never seemed to be enough in those half-filled bags and they just weren’t nearly as good as the restaurant chips.  Then one day I happened to think back on those couple of years at Del Taco.  They fried their own chips!  Why didn’t I think of that before?  I had watched it done hundreds of times….I had a fryer…..Every store here sells corn tortillas….I’m from the South….We can and do fry ANYTHING!…Why NOT?!

And that was the beginning of it all.  We eat them at home, I take them EVERYWHERE, we’ve even given them as gifts.  They are my “go to” when I need to take something to a party, send something to a friend, or have people over.  People always say, somewhat surprised, “You make your own chips?”

It’s so easy I can’t believe I’m going to give away the secret BUT……

Here’s the Recipe:

Corn tortillas (Sam’s is the cheapest place around here to get them. Two bags of 50 each for about $4)

Deep Fryer (you can also use a large pot on the stove if you don’t have one)

Oil

Salt

Preheat fryer to 400 degrees. Prepare a pan or plate for draining by covering with a couple of layers of paper towels.  I usually make a lot so I have a large disposable roasting pan for this…you know the kind you buy to roast the turkey at Thanksgiving.

Cut tortillas in fourths.  I use a pizza cutter…it works great.

Pizza Cutter – Not Just for Pizza Anymore

Place cut tortillas loosely in fry basket. It’s best to fry in small batches; they cook more evenly.  When the oil is ready, drop in the basket.  Using a metal spoon stir to separate.

Fry until golden brown.  Stir occasionally.

When they are done lift the basket and let it sit on the side of the fryer a few seconds so the excess oil will drain.  Transfer to prepared “draining” pan. Salt immediately.

Fry Until Golden Brown

When cool, store in a zip lock bag to keep fresh for several days.

Although, around here they NEVER last that long!