• Originally published November 24, 2009 at midnight, updated November 24, 2009 at 4:40 p.m.

• TURKEY ENCHILADAS

  3 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  1 3/4 cups finely chopped onions

  1 (15 oz.) can (mild) enchilada sauce

  1 (15 oz.) can (medium) enchilada sauce

  6 plum tomatoes, finely chopped

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TURKEY ENCHILADAS

3 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups finely chopped onions

1 (15 oz.) can (mild) enchilada sauce

1 (15 oz.) can (medium) enchilada sauce

6 plum tomatoes, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped canned chipotle chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

3 cups coarsely shredded cooked turkey

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

3/4

12 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add enchilada sauce, tomatoes and chipotles. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir gently. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup cilantro. Mix turkey, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, sour cream, 1/4 cup onions and 1/2 cup cilantro in bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 tortilla until pliable, about 20 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup turkey mixture in center of each tortilla. (You can use a smaller quantity but will need more tortillas.) Roll up tortillas. Arrange seam side down in dish. Spoon sauce over the enchiladas until they are covered.

Remainder of sauce can be served heated over the enchiladas when they are plated.

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Bake enchiladas until heated through, about 30 minutes.

I have lived almost 30 years in Texas. Four of the 30 were spent in Waco attending Baylor University. As a freshman in college, I was introduced to an Aggie for the first time. I remember the occasion vividly.

One of my freshman friends in Collins Dormitory was dating an Aggie. A Texas Aggie, if you are not from the state of Texas and don't know this, is a student or previous graduate of Texas A&M University.

Diana's boyfriend was in the Corps, which is a supercharged version of the ROTC, and had a rare weekend off. He and his friends came to Waco to see Diana and meet "beautiful" girls.

I am not lying. That is exactly what one of those guys said, although they might have just been feeding us a line, because I know that there were plenty of cute girls where they came from.

Diana was playing matchmaker, and I was one of the lucky ones. Since boys were not allowed in our dorm past the front foyer, we had to go downstairs to be introduced.

Our foyer was connected to a large sitting room and when I rounded the corner, I saw my first Aggies.

All three boys were dressed in khaki from head to toe. While most boys during the early 1980s had long hair, these guys had practically no hair.

I am sure I smiled sweetly as they explained that we were going out to the Lone Star Steakhouse for supper and then kicker dancing at the Melody Ranch dance hall.

I thought they would stand out like sore thumbs with those clothes on, but I agreed to go since they seemed so nice and polite.

When they actually picked us up an hour later, they had changed into Wranglers and ropers. After all these years, I cannot remember if my date's name was Ray or Raymond, but I had a great time dancing the night away.

I recall that Ray called me a couple of times and invited me to Aggie Land, but I was too involved in my own college experience with the boys at Baylor to leave.

Last weekend, a couple of our Aggie friends, Robert and Mary Ann, invited us to attend the Baylor vs. Texas A&M game at Kyle Field.

Since both football teams aren't doing too great this season, we thought it might be a close game. It wasn't. A&M won 38 to 3.

I had only driven through College Station once, so I was eager to see the university through the eyes of Aggies.

Kim and Jerry also joined us, and she, too, is an Aggie, so that only enriched the mix. So, it would be two Baylor Bears with the three Aggies.

Jerry is originally from the great corn-growing region of Iowa and went to Iowa State. I think their mascot is something like the Fighting Corndog. Actually, I am only kidding. Their mascot is the Cyclone.

We started out the weekend Saturday morning with a tour of the George H. Bush Presidential Library on the A&M campus. It was really impressive and very interesting to see how he came to be president. His dad had been a U.S. senator, and although George grew up on the East Coast after graduating from Yale and serving as a Navy pilot in WW II, he came to Texas to work in the oil business. He started work as a salesman, but eventually owned his own offshore exploration company. He then became a congressman, then the U.S. ambassador to the UN, then the ambassador to China, then CIA director before becoming Reagan's vice president. He was elected president in 1988.

The museum helped me to remember some of the events of that time, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War. The museum is definitely worth a visit.

We then parked the car and went to a tailgate party. This is a big tradition at A&M football games. There were so many tents, trucks, barbecue pits, bands playing, fans visiting and getting pumped up for the game.

I found that football is a really big deal here. In fact, there were more than 83,000 people at the game. One of my favorite things to see was the very regimented Aggie Marching Band at halftime.

Another popular tradition is after each touchdown, the guy gets to kiss his date. The team scored lots of touchdowns that day, so it was a good day for all those Aggie couples.

I enjoyed my short time on the campus. The students there seem clean-cut, conservative, hard-working, friendly and polite - good-neighbor types. But that is what I would have expected, because it is just like most of the friends I have who graduated from A&M.

Most of us are getting ready for Thanksgiving. The television will be on, and the men most likely will be sitting in front of it, while the women prepare the feast. This is definitely the situation at my house.

After the meal, I put away leftovers and try to create something new and exciting for the weekend after.

These enchiladas are perfect for a quick meal. You can substitute roasted chicken in place of the turkey in case you have eaten all of the bird.

Enjoy your family and thank God for all He has provided. Happy Thanksgiving.

Myra Starkey lives in Victoria. Write her in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901, or e-mail myra@vicad.com.

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