The recipe became a family tradition and was passed on through the generations, with Olivia's mother (Vera's daughter) and sister making it for their own families. "We eat this dish on Christmas Eve every year. I remember growing up, my friends would have their traditional Christmas dinners with ham and I would tell people, 'Oh, we have chile and beans and we make homemade tortillas.' That just seemed like such a special thing I had growing up," Olivia says. The recipe is easy to customize — you can make it spicy or mild, with a soupy or thicker stew-like consistency. Olivia loves how the comforting dish ends up a little different each time she makes it. "All of the instructions are pretty loose. It just depends on how you like it and what ingredients you have — you can add in potatoes, corn, whatever you want," she says.