You can take Jenna Bush Hager out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texas out of Jenna Bush Hager.
The Jenna & Friends host, 43, grew up in the Lone Star State, where her dad, George W. Bush, was the governor before he became president. Bush Hager recently caught up with PEOPLE at the launch of the Today show’s new cookbook, Today Loves Food: Recipes from America’s Favorite Kitchen, where she shared a longstanding influence from her upbringing.
“We do enchiladas on Christmas Eve,” she said of the seemingly unusual practice in her family. “Enchiladas, tamales — a lot of Texans have Tex-Mex on Christmas Eve. It’s a tradition that, if you have tamales, it gives you something to open.”
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George W. Bush with his wife Laura Bush and daughter Jenna Bush during his 1998 campaign for re-election in Texas
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Naturally, Bush Hager shared the tradition with her husband, Henry Hager, when the two first met some 20 years ago. Henry was thrilled.
“Our first Christmas Eve, he was like, ‘Y’all have guacamole on Christmas Eve? This is amazing!’ ” she recalled.
The couple share three children together: Mila, 12, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5. Bush Hager admitted she’s the better chef in the family — though not by much.
“My husband’s not a good chef, but neither am I, really,” she said with a laugh. “So, we like to eat at restaurants!”
Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram
Jenna Bush Hager and Henry Hager ci-hosting Jenna & Friends together in March
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In fact, Bush Hager said one of her favorite memories from growing up was heading to a particular restaurant with her mom, Laura (whose “Cowboy Cookie” recipe is included in Today Loves Food).
“My favorite thing is when my mother said, ‘Hey, Dad’s going to be working late. Let’s go out to Mi Cocina and get some queso,’ ” she remembered. “Or every Friday night, at the baseball stadium, we would go to get my favorite hot dog at the old Rangers stadium. [Now] they don’t have them like they used to!”
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Inspired by the show’s affinity for cooking segments, Today Loves Food contains recipes from all of the show’s anchors (and even some from their family members, too!) as well as submissions from the brand’s favorite chefs — everyone from Ina Garten to Today‘s own food stylist Katie Stilo.
Today Loves Food: Recipes from America’s Favorite Kitchen is available now.
Read the original article on People
