Matilde Vargas Santacruz grew up on a ranch in Sonora where she remembers helping her father plant wheat, corn, cotton, vegetables and more. She recalls seeing cows, chicken and pigs on the ranch and helping raise them. She migrated to the U.S. when she was 18 and settled in Tucson.

She beams when she talks about her 17 grandchildren and great grandchildren. She made Sonoran flour tortillas and red chili with meat for her signature dishes.