The Family Recipe Box
Every family has The One. That legendary recipe. The one that shows up at every gathering, passed down through generations and known by heart. At some point, it becomes more than just food—it’s a plateful of memories, a bowlful of love, a recipe for connection.
In our Family Recipe Box series, we celebrate a different Allrecipes Allstar each month by sharing the story behind their treasured family dish—along with everything you need to bring it to your table, too. Because recipes this meaningful deserve to be passed on. And at Allrecipes, you’re part of the family.
Name: Jennifer Aleman
Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
Family recipe: Pozole Verde
Who developed the recipe: Jennifer’s Grandmother
When it became a family tradition: At least 100 years ago
For Allrecipes Allstar Jennifer Aleman, there’s no wrong time of day, season, or reason to whip up a big pot of Pozole Verde.
“In Mexico, pozole can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner,” Jennifer explains. We eat this when celebrating traditional Mexican parties like Independence Day, but also on New Year’s Eve, birthdays, and at family gatherings.”
Dating back to Jennifer’s great-grandmother—and maybe before—when a pot of pozole is on the stove, it means it’s a party for her Mexican-American family. Even if it’s a party of one: “In 2000, I was living in England and was pregnant with my first child. I couldn’t travel to Mexico to spend the holidays with my family. Instead, I decided to make pozole for the first time myself to feel closer to my parents, sisters, and grandma. My mom coached me through how to make it over the phone.”
Jennier Aleman / Allrecipes
Pozole Verde has been a staple in Jennifer’s diet since she first spooned up the savory, spicy soup during Mexican Independence Day when she was 5 years old. She admits that it wasn’t love at first sight. Why are we adding a salad to soup with the lettuce on top? What’s the deal with that gigantic corn? (That was hominy, by the way.) But it was certainly love at first bite.
Although Jennifer was initially skeptical, “It smelled really good, and everybody at the party seemed to be enjoying it, so I tried it. I thought it was delicious; the flavor of the hominy was fantastic. Since that day, I have had a sweet spot for pozole.”
The tradition continues with Jennifer’s daughter, Alison, whose college application essay to Georgia Institute of Technology was inspired by this very soup. After making it through a challenging immigration journey from Mexico to the United States, Alison told the admissions team that this pozole helps her feel grounded in her heritage and cultural identity when faced with a new world that is so unfamiliar. Her application was approved.
“Living in the United States, I continue to make authentic Mexican food for my children in hopes that they cherish their background and continue to carry our rich culture with them wherever they go,” Jennifer says.
Although the taste and smell of this Pozole Verde remind Jennifer of the matriarchs in her family, she’s not shy to bend their rules a bit. These days, she uses canned hominy instead of dried to trim down on prep time, and tailors the spiciness to her palate.
Jennifer tells us, “I’ve reduced the amount of hot peppers, such as jalapeños, in my family’s recipe, as the level of heat my parents and grandmother could endure was incredibly high!”
Allrecipes / Kim Shupe
