Breakfast of Champion

Tomato enchiladas ( entomatadas ) once earned a perfect 10 for Vicky Palomera Chann of Echo Park. That was in a grammar school cooking competition in Tepic, the capital of the state of Nyarit in Mexico. Chann, then a second-grader, triumphed despite a handicap that almost put her out of the running: Before she even got started, her sister spent most of the money allotted for ingredients on her own project, a fancy dessert. That left Chann with only enough cash for tortillas and a few tomatoes.

On the day of the judging, most of the youngsters brought dishes that clearly showed a mother’s touch. But the teachers weren’t fooled. They loved Vicky’s simple entomatadas and handed her the top score.

Today, Vicky, her husband, Brian, and sons, Ryan and Christopher, often have entomatadas for breakfast. Brian, a chef, usually does the cooking; he says for a meatier dish, you can add warm shredded chicken to the filling. If cotija cheese isn’t available, he suggests substituting Cheddar or Jack.

Menu

Vicky’s Entomatadas

Eggs with Chorizo

Breakfast Beans

Mexican Chocolate Milk

STAPLES

Oil

Onions

Garlic

Oregano

Milk

Sugar

Ground cinnamon

Vanilla extract

SHOPPING LIST

9 medium tomatoes

1 dozen corn tortillas

1/2 pound cotija cheese

1/2 pound chorizo

1 green bell pepper

6 eggs

1/2 pound pinto beans

1 bunch green onions

1 bunch cilantro

1 (14-ounce) can instant chocolate milk powder

GAME PLAN

Day Before: Make beans; refrigerate overnight.

Early in Morning: Cook eggs with chorizo; keep warm. Make entomatadas . Reheat beans. Combine green onion and cilantro for beans.

Just Before Serving: Blend chocolate milk.

VICKY’S ENTOMATADAS

Oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

8 medium tomatoes, chopped

Salt, pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

8 corn tortillas

1 cup grated cotija cheese

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add oregano. Sauce will be thick. Do not add water.

Lay each tortilla on top of sauce to soften. When tortilla soaks up some of sauce, place on plate. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce onto tortilla and roll up. Place on dinner plates. Spoon some of remaining sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Small amount additional cheese can be added to tomato filling, if desired. Serve at once.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

333 calories; 533 mg sodium; 15 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 4.54 grams fiber.

EGGS WITH CHORIZO

1/2 pound chorizo

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut in small dice

1 medium tomato, diced

6 eggs, beaten

Salt

Cook chorizo in skillet until browned and crumbly. Remove chorizo and drain on paper towel. Discard all but small amount of fat. Add onion, garlic and green pepper and cook until vegetables soften. Add tomato and cook 1 minute. Return chorizo to pan. Add eggs and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Cook until eggs are set.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

320 calories; 696 mg sodium; 356 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 0.27 gram fiber.

BREAKFAST BEANS

1 cup pinto beans

1 clove garlic

1/4 medium onion

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped green onion

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Sort and rinse beans. Cover with hot water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. Add garlic and onion quarter and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. When skins start to burst, add salt to taste. Combine green onion and cilantro. Serve beans in their broth in individual bowls. Accompany with onion-cilantro mixture to add as desired.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains about:

171 calories; 448 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 3.03 grams fiber.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE MILK

1 quart chilled milk

1/2 cup instant chocolate milk powder

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine milk, chocolate milk powder, sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla extract in blender. Blend until frothy. Pour into glasses and sprinkle tops lightly with cinnamon.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

184 calories; 151 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.