Cooking with PW: Chicken Enchiladas

Dear PW,

I made the Chicken Enchiladas from your Dinnertime cookbook this last weekend for my dad’s birthday party. My dad is Texan through and through, so a deep love for Tex-Mex runs in his blood.

Let me start off by telling you, he has not stopped talking about those enchiladas since that party. And though he isn’t one for leftovers, my husband Josiah and I even thought we detected a faint hinting from my dad that we leave behind the leftover pan.

Basically, these enchiladas were a huge hit, and so very easy to make. And since my dad is currently dreaming of another plateful I think I’ll plan on making them more on the regular for family gatherings.

Speaking of family gatherings, I love my family. They are in no way perfect and we have in no way escaped family drama, but I am so grateful for them, for their love for me, and for their love for each other.

Your family seems so close and so cool too. I caught myself the other day watching your show and thinking how perfect it all looked. But assuming anyone’s life is perfect is such a trap to fall into, right?! No matter how things look on the outside we all have our own burdens, our own fights, our own pain to walk through.

And the reason I think this is so important for us to all remember is so we don’t pass ignorant criticism or judgment on one another. We as humans are all too quick to point a finger at someone else’s mistakes, as well as pass judgement on their character.

But what I’ve found is that people are so complicated. And there are always deeper stories going on behind the surface. People also change. And they can get better and they can learn. So why do we ever feel the need to judge and criticize a person’s character without realizing we don’t know the whole story?

I’m so over expecting perfection from myself or others. And I’m so over just accepting the outside story as the full story. I have been on the receiving end of some ignorant criticism and judgment, so I am incredibly motivated to not do the same to others. There is nothing like being judged for only one part of a puzzle that is your life.

Anyway, you and your fam bam are awesome, as is your food! And though I know you and your cool family aren’t perfect, I still think you guys are the cat’s pajamas, and love the heck out of y’all and always will!

Sincerely,

Jess