Tamale Pie, the best version ever

Okay so I had a hankering for Tamale pie, and looking back on when I typed this out and emailed it to my friend, I made this pretty much the same night I conceived this baby.

Insert any number of innuendo or jokes here.

In any event, it's really really delicious. In fact, when I did a search of my email to find this recipe, I discovered I was emailing friends about this recipe several days after the fact, telling them how incredibly good it was.

 I am really looking forward to making it again this week.

You'll also need 2 lbs of meat, plus the stuff for the cornmeal topping ... and the Fritos ... but this is *mostly* what you need.

Meat, onions, garlic, seasonings all get thrown into the pan

Cook until the meat is browned (and smelling deelicious)

Add the corn/tomatoes/tomato sauce/beer

Simmer for about 15 minutes until it looks really really good, sorta like this. Yes, it'll be soupy - that's fine.

Cover the  bottom of your baking dish with Fritos.

Add the warm meat mixture

Corn meal - the yellow.

The mixture above is what it looks like BEFORE buttermilk is added.  I added 1.5 cups.  Stir it all up and then sorta plop it over the top of the meat ... and then ...

Smooth it out with the spoon -- it'll smooth over really easily!  Put into oven for 25 minutes, then remove and top with more cheese (YAY!)

After it's all done .. it'll look like this (and smell even better)

OH yeah, baby.

Here lies the deliciousness that are the baked up Frito bottom layer.

Please enjoy.

Ingredients

1 white onion, chopped
4 - 5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs ground beef
2 T. California chile powder
1 T. Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp Lawry's garlic salt (to taste - I love, so I put more)
black pepper/salt (to taste)
8 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz can El Pato tomato sauce (this is somewhat spicy - just use "plain" tomato sauce if you want less spice)
1 can Mexicorn
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 handful cilantro, chopped roughly
1/2 c. beer (can sub chicken broth/beef broth/etc)

Topping
1 c. cornmeal (I buy yellow bc it's less expensive than white - I'm cheap)
1 can fire-roasted diced chiles (*NOT* jalapenos!)
1/2 c. shredded Pepperjack (or use cheddar to make more mild)
1 can creamed corn (the 15 oz size, or 14.5 or whatever it is)
1 - 2 c. buttermilk (enough to make the topping "pourable" -- I didn't measure)
salt/pepper

Other needs: Fritos, 1 c. shredded cheddar, olives, sour cream

Heat oven to 400.

Saute onion/garlic/meat/spices until meat is browned. Add the tomato sauces, corn, tomatoes, cilantro and beer and let simmer about 15 minutes.

Put Fritos on bottom of a large baking dish (larger than 9 x 13 - like a lasagna/roasting pan - or you can use 2 dishes, a 9x13 and an 8x8).

In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients.

Put the cooked meat on top of the Fritos in the baking dish, then cover with the topping, smoothing over the top of the meat. (I added some whole olives on top so each "portion" would get one, but feel free to omit/serve on the side)

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with 1 c. shredded cheddar (or more, if you like) and return to oven for additional 10 minutes.

Serve/devour with cottage cheese and/or sour cream.

Pumpkin Tortellini soup with Meatballs and Kale

I had a hankering for this combination earlier today, with freezing cold nights (and mornings) finally starting up again, I just wanted all things fall: pumpkin, soup, bread with butter to dip into said soup.

I was imagining a really brothy soup with small meatballs and some nutmeggy pumpkin tortellini.

I googled.

I didn't see anything resembling what I wanted, so I cobbled something together that I feared wasn't going to taste very good, but ended up tasting really really good.  My husband even drank his broth.  He never drinks his broth.


Tortellini

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
4 oz honey goat cheese (Trader Joe's - if you can't find, just use regular goat cheese and add more honey)
1 T. honey (maple syrup would also be extra delicious here)
1 T. brown sugar
allspice (pinch)
nutmeg (pinch or so)
white pepper (pinch)
salt (hearty pinch)
1 leaf sage, minced fine
20 wonton wrappers

Mix all the ingredients, except wonton wrappers, then assemble into tortellini (directions are on the package - it's quite simple).  Put in fridge on a small plate while you assemble meatballs.

Note: this will use up 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture.  If you're ambitious, you can make more and freeze them for next time, but I have 2 young children, so I put my leftovers into the fridge to be dealt with later.

Meatballs (based on Cook's Illustrated's recipe for Swedish Meatballs)

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/2 - 1" pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1/2 white onion, grated on small holes of box grater
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder

Put bread into medium bowl and cover with cream, mashing with a fork to make sure the cream is absorbed.  It may be a little soupy.  Add egg, white onion, spices and baking powder, and mix with fork to combine.  Add the meat -- squeezing the pork with your hands to "mash" it a little before going into the bowl (Cook's Illustrated has you mix it with the mixer to make the pork like a 'paste', and - although I have made them that way before and they are delicious - I wasn't gonna dirty another coupla dishes tonight, and squeezing turned out just fine).  Use a very small scoop (2 tsp.) to scoop into about 25 little meatballs, setting aside on a plate.


Note:  I made the meat mixture while the aromatics were sauteeing in the pan (next step, below), and then left it alone to add the Bourbon/Broth/etc, and then scooped the meatballs while waiting for the broth to come to a boil.

Soup and assembly

1/4 white onion, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
1/4 c. EVOO
4 T. butter
Bourbon (about 1/3 cup and I used Makers Mark)
12 cups chicken stock (2 of the 48 oz Swansons boxes)
salt/pepper
2 - 3 cups chopped kale (I bought a bag at Trader Joe's to make my life easy, and used several good handfuls)

In a 6 quart pot, saute onion/shallots/garlic/sage in evoo and butter over med-low heat until soft and getting caramelly ... deglaze with the bourbon, let reduce about 2 minutes so the alcohol evaporates a little.  Add the broth/salt/pepper, bring to a simmer, add the kale.  Let the kale simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then carefully add meatballs (they will be soft, but I assure you they will hold their shape), always keeping the broth at a bare simmer.  After 8 minutes, add the tortellini and continue simmering for another 2 minutes.  Serve immediately with hot sauce and parmesan :D

A FEW NOTES:

A few of the tortellini may fall apart in the soup, but it still tastes good.  You can always just use egg noodles and diced pumpkin (sugar pumpkin is good) or butternut squash if you don't want to be fussy about the tortellini.  Also? I think a can of rinsed small white beans would be a delicious addition to this soup, as would some toasted sourdough croutons.

Please enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This turned out so delicious, I hope I remember everything I put into it to make it turn out that way.  I threw everything together with stuff I had in my pantry and fridge (and freezer) because the idea of dragging 2 kids to the grocery store was a lot less exciting than trying to figure out what I could make with what I had on hand.

So, this was born.

Ingredients
2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt/pepper/bay leaves
3 T. oil
1 T. flour
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock (I used my Better than Bouillon + water)
1/4 cup California chile powder
pinch cumin
pinch oregano
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder
salt
1 can Mexicorn
1/2 cup cottage cheese (full fat, please)
handful cilantro
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup Feta
2 cups (or so) shredded "Mexican Cheese Blend" (we get ours at Costco)
6 large corn tortillas
radish/black olives/sour cream to garnish

Put the chicken into a pot of water and season with salt/pepper/and a couple of bay leaves.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and let cook until the chicken is done (I cooked mine from frozen, so it was about 20 minutes, but if they're fresh it'll probably be more like 10).

While the chicken is simmering, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the flour and stir constantly for about a minute.  Add the chile powder, and cook for about 10 seconds until it becomes fragrant.  Then add the chicken broth, the oregano/garlic powder/onion powder/cumin and tomato sauce.  Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes until the flavors blend and it thickens up slightly.

Preheat the oven to 325.

Remove the chicken to a large bowl and shred using 2 forks.  Add the corn, cilantro, green onion, about 1/2 cup of the Mexican cheese, the feta, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, and about 1 or 2 ladles of the sauce to help keep it moist.

Get out your baking dish (I used a 9x11 dish I had and it worked perfectly).  Dip 1 corn tortilla into the enchilada sauce, coating it on both sides completely, and place into the bottom of the pan.  Repeat, making sure the bottom of the baking dish is mostly covered.  Add a layer of the chicken, a few ladles of sauce, and a generous handful of the Mexican cheese.  Repeat again, topping the final layer with tortillas and cheese, using the rest of the sauce over the top and around the edges to make sure it's nice and moist and delicious.

Bake for about 20 minutes or so until bubbly.  Remove from oven and eat with sour cream, olives and radishes on the side.

Italian Meatball Soup (aka Minstrone With Meat)

So I was completely uninspired for dinner today.  I wanted comfort food.  My muffin tops said: "Make a salad".

I did not want salad.

So ... I whipped up this little number.  It's absolutely delicious, and so ... I share.

Ingredients

EVOO (about 2 T. or so)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced into 1/4" slices
3 bay leaves (maybe 4 -- I love bay, I use loads)
splash of white wine (whatever you're drinking)
pinch (about 1/2 tsp) Italian Seasoning
1 can stewed tomatoes (Italian style)
1 red potato, diced (skin on)
3 - 4 summer squash of your choosing, diced (I used Mexican grey - use what you want)
3 carrots, cut into pieces of your choosing (I like cutting carrot into 1/4ths lengthwise, then sliced)
2 - 3 T. Better Than Bouillon, beef flavor (or just omit water and use beef broth instead - whatever you've got!)
2 - 3 Quarts water (however much you need -- I used a 6 qt stock pot so I probably used about 3 quarts water)
1.5 lbs ground beef
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c noodles of your choosing (I used alphabet noodles)
1 bag (6 oz, I believe) baby spinach
1/8 c. parmesan
salt/pepper

Saute onion/garlic/celery/bay leaf in evoo over med-high heat until softened.  Add white wine and let reduce about 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes, potato, squash, carrots, Italian seasoning and salt/pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil.

While waiting for the soup to boil, assemble meatballs -- mix beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic salt, basil, black pepper and salt (if you have fresh herbs - great! I didn't, so I used dry. Use what you have! If you have fresh parsley, use that, fresh oregano? use that!). 

When soup comes to a boil, gradually add meatballs (I use a small cookie scoop - 1.5 tablespoons - and just scoop and drop).  Reduce heat and let simmer uncovered about 1 hour.

Add the pasta and spinach and cook until pasta is done (about 8 minutes).  Add beans and parmesan and let "warm up" for about 5 minutes.

Season to taste with additional salt/pepper (or fresh herbs if you have them -- fresh basil would be amazing here ... as would some lemon zest).

 Devour with croutons and parmesan cheese on top, and a frosty beer.

Asian Style Cabbge Slaw (for tacos)

Okay so this would be delicious as a side dish to a stir-fry or a barbecue, but it was DELICIOUS as a topper to our Asian style tacos ... delicious.

I improvised a satay-style sauce for this slaw.  I think it turned out really great, if I do say so myself.

Ingredients
1 small head green cabbage, shredded as per coleslaw
2 T. peanut butter (creamy is what we have -- use what you have)
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. mirin
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. soy sauce (reduced sodium, if you're into that sorta thing)
Black pepper (about 1/2 tsp)
1 - 2 T. freshly-grated ginger
1 T. brown sugar
1 - 2 T. fresh mint leaves, chopped
cilantro (handful), chopped
2 green onions, sliced

Combine everything except cabbage in a medium bowl using a whisk.  The peanut butter might take awhile to fully blend, but it will if you keep at it (if you're whisking for more than a minute, please stop and just go with what you have - I promise it will be okay).

Add the cabbage and toss to combine.  Let it set for an hour or more to develop flavors, adding more fresh mint if you happen to have any more.  It's delicious with additional mint.  Also? Sriracha.  Please enjoy -- you will not be disappointed.

If you so desire, you can absolutely use a bag of pre-cut coleslaw mix.  I added some shredded carrots on the side with our tacos in order to keep their carrot-y flavor distinct.  Please do what you like.  My husband does not enjoy green onion (I did not tell them this had green onion and he ate it anyway) so please use the things that you like.  My 3 year old helped me make this and kept eating so much I was worried we wouldn't have enough left for tacos.  We did.

Asian Style Pork Tacos

Okay so I confess ... I totally got this idea from Duncan of Porter's on the Go.  I am in LOVE with his pork char siu tacos.

After spending yesterday looking up (and drooling over) recipes, I decided to just improvise and come up with something that'd be close and satisfying (without the drive into SLO).

Here's what I did (and, yes, I realize this is somewhat fussy but reducing the sauce is wholly worthwhile for the intense flavor it brings to the meat .. if you are feeling tired, feel free to not do that step, but - I am telling you - you wil be rewarded if you do):

Ingredients
Pork butt (3 lbs or so - yes, mine was smallish - if you want larger, just up the other ingredients a smidge)
1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium if you're into that sorta thing)
1/4 c. hoisin
1 - 2 T. freshly-grated ginger
2 tsp Chinese Five Spice (mine is freshly-grated dry spices, so I use 1 tsp, but if it's already ground you will want to use 2 tsp to get the right potency)
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1 - 2 T. mirin (honestly I don't remember how much I put in -- somewhere around 1 - 2 T will be fine)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 green onion, sliced
1 tsp garlic powder

Cut the pork into about 4 or 5 pieces, keeping the bone attached to one of the pieces (hello: bones = flavortown).  Add the rest of the ingredients to your crock pot and mix to combine.  Add the pork, turning to coat, and set on low for about 6 or 7 hours (turning halfway through if you're able.  If not? Don't worry about it! It'll still be totally delicious.)

After 6 hours, check to make sure the pork is done by sticking a fork in a piece and turning.  If it shreds easily, it's done.  If not, let it go a little while longer.  (Hint: it should be done after 7 hours at the most).

Here's the fussy part -- using a ladle, remove the liquid (as much as you can) to a 1.5 quart saucepan.  Set on high, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and let reduce for about an hour so the flavors intensify and the sauce becomes somewhat thick.  (It won't be totally thick because of the pork fat, but -- so help me God -- if you drain that pork fat I will never talk to you again. I am serious.)

When you are ready to serve, shred the pork and put on a corn tortilla, top with a little bit of the sauce, some asian slaw (recipe to follow), shredded carrots, cilantro, green onion, Sriracha, radish and on the side ... please -- I am begging you -- a very cold beer.

Succotash, sufferin'

I will admit to having been inspired to make this dish by a (gasp) Woman's Day recipe.

What?  The recipes in that mag -- while simple -- are really quite impressive and delicious.  Better than most I've seen on the Internet.  Of course, I believe if I told Ruth Reichl the end of Gourmet magazine (moment of silence) would have driven me thus, she might bring it back ... I can dream, no?

In any event, succotash is one of those summertime dishes that just FEEL right ... you've got all this fresh produce and not a lot of desire to be at the stove and -- for me -- it's all the right size (and taste) for small children to devour at dinnertime.  Win, win, win.

This is what I did (all chopped vegetables were cut the same size as the lima beans):

3 slices thick bacon, cut into 1/8" slices (omit this or add more - it's your table, not mine)
2 T. butter
1 16 oz bag frozen lima beans, defrosted (yes you can use fresh; however, I am not nearly so fussy)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1 - 2 ears corn, removed from the cob (if you used canned or frozen, you'd be forgiven. I promise.)
1 squash, chopped
Salt/Pepper/Dried basil
Heavy cream and a little water *OR* half and half (about 1/2 cup)

Note: If you have fresh basil, please -- by all means -- use fresh basil.  I just didn't have any and I happen to like the unique flavor of dried basil.  I am not ashamed.

While the kids are napping, chop the vegetables and set the lima beans out to defrost.

When husband comes home from work, start bacon in a cold pan and turn heat to medium-high.  Once bacon has rendered, remove bacon (try not to eat -- you're gonna want to add it back in later) and add the butter to the pan.  Once the butter has melted, add all the veggies and herb/salt/pepper ((If using fresh basil - please wait to add at the very end)) to the pan and stir -- lazily (meaning, like, 4 times total) -- for about 6 minutes until veggies start to soften and the onion doesn't look quite so "raw".

This is when you add the cream and water (which is what I had on hand) or some half and half.  Stir.  Put a lid on the pan, turn the heat to low, and let simmer for about 12 minutes until lima beans are soft, but corn still has "crunch".

Add more salt/pepper/basil to taste (add red pepper flakes, too, if you're into that sort of thing).  Add the bacon back in (if there's any left after snacking).

Devour.

This is the finished product. I used a Mexican "grey" squash I had in the fridge. And only 1 ear of corn. It is very delicious.

Certainly if you have some tomatoes lying around, you can add them after everything has cooked down -- just chop up and stir into the warm succotash, letting the heat slightly "wilt" the tomatoes.  They will add a great bit of "brightness" to the dish.  I am saving my tomato for River Casserole later this week ... so mine went without.  You really can't go wrong with this dish.

Michelada

It's hot. You're cooking dinner.  You desperately need a beer.

All you have is Corona.

Open the Corona.  Take a sip.  Cut a lime into 4ths and squeeze 1/4 of that lime into your Corona.

Add a couple drops of Maggi seasoning (or Worcestershire).  Then add a couple drops of your favorite hot sauce (Bufala is traditional, use what you have and like -- Tapatio would be amazing. I like El Yucateco Chipotle hot sauce.).

Put your thumb over the top of the bottle and flip it upside down and immediately right back up in order to mix.  It will foam.  Take a drink.

And take another.

Continue making dinner, slowly savoring the cold, salty, spicy, sour beer.  Make another if you need one.

These are absolutely perfect for a mild hangover.

Garlicky Summer Squash

We eat a lot of "whatever's on sale" at the grocery store.  Lately, that has included summer squash and I am totally okay with that because I love it so much, as does the rest of the family.

This preparation is moderately fussy as far as squash is concerned, but I assure you it's worth it.

Ingredients
2 - 3 Summer squash (zucchini, yellow, Mexican - whatever)
Garlic (loads - 4 - 5 cloves at least, chopped)
Balsalmic vinegar
EVOO
Salt/Pepper
Optional: parmesan cheese

Slice the squash lengthwise into 3 strips (I prefer them simply cut in half it they're smaller) and put into a Ziploc bag.  Add the rest of the ingredients (how much balsalmic and evoo? I'd guesstimate about 1/8 cup of each, possibly more).  Marinate as long as you have time and then cook on the grill.  After cooked, return to the marinade prior to serving.

If your grill isn't going, you can broil in the toaster oven (my favorite appliance in the summertime) for about 8 minutes per side, or until cooked.

It gets even better the day after, having soaked up all that delicious marinade.

(It's also quite delicious chopped up and thrown into scrambled eggs the next morning)

Microwave Corn on the Cob (yes, really)

Certain members of my family (to whom I have given birth) would eat corn on the cob every meal, and since we can't grill it every day (and we have no working a/c), I had to figure out a way to cook it that didn't require bringing a pot of water to the boil in the middle of the summer.

I Googled.  I tested.  And I found a method that works GREAT and the best part is? It's ready (though screaming hot) in 8 minutes.

Ingredients
2 ears of corn (not shucked)
2 paper towels
Water

Run the ears of corn under water, making sure to soak them as much as possible (don't get too neurotic about how much time you're spending on this -- 30 seconds is more than enough time).

Wrap each ear of corn in 1 sheet of paper towel (yes, it should be wet and no, it might not cover it completely and that's okay) and place both on a plate.  Microwave on high for 8 minutes.

Let sit in the microwave for a minute or two and then remove.

It will be screaming hot, so use caution, but it will be perfectly steamed.

My 3 year old ate 1.5 ears yesterday.  Cold from the fridge.  Without so much as a how do you do from any butter, salt or pepper.

We will be eating a lot of corn prepared this way this summer.

The best part? The silk and the husks come off very easily.

River "Casserole"

This dish was a staple of the Johnson family whenever we'd spend our yearly two weeks camping at King's river. The flavors are so simple and just scream summertime for me.  I recently served it for my father in law and he ate two helpings, telling me "I used to hate squash, but this is so delicious! What is that on here?"  My husband had told me the same thing the week prior.

You MUST serve sourdough with it to sop up the delicious liquor that forms at the bottom of the pan.  Drinking it after eating is also highly encouraged.

Ingredients:
2 summer squash, sliced into 1/2" slices (zucchini, yellow, mexican - whatever is on sale)
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped (not minced, for fear it may burn)
2 tomatoes, sliced
Dried dill (yes, dried)
Dried basil (yes, dried -- seriously)
Salt/Pepper
EVOO

Set burner to medium-high and add the evoo. Once evoo is hot, add the onion and garlic and let cook in the oil for about a minute (just chop the other veggies while it cooks and that'll be the perfect amount of time).

Then layer into the pan, in this order, the squash, a generous amount of the dried herbs, salt and pepper, then the tomatoes, then more salt and pepper and more dried herbs.

Put on the lid, turn the heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes until squash is done to desired doneness.

Some members of my family enjoy putting cheese on top of this dish, but I prefer it as is.

Bone-In, Skin-On Chicken Breasts

While not our "usual" fare, these were on sale for $.99/lb at Albertson's last week so that was our protein for the week.

I prepared them thusly:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
4 thin slices lemon
2 T. butter
EVOO
Salt/Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 (I use our toaster oven, which requires no preheating).

Combine the garlic, rosemary, evoo, salt and pepper (lemon zest, too, if you are into that sorta thing) and set aside.

Put chicken breasts, skin side up on a pan covered in aluminum foil (easy cleanup) and loosen the skin from the breasts.  There's usually one part where it's "easy" to slide a finger between and just kinda gently loosen the rest of the skin -- if it comes completely off, don't worry.  Just lay it back on top when you're done!

Smear the garlic/rosemary all over the breast, under the skin and on top of the skin.  Add 1 T. of butter between the skin and the breast and 2 slices of lemon under the butter.  The butter is going to help that skin get SUPER crispy and delicious and the lemon will penetrate the thick breast meat and get soft after baking.

Put in the oven and forget about them for 45 minutes.

Yes, the garlic on top of the breasts MIGHT get slightly "overdone", but in my house burned garlic is a treat.  If you don't like it, don't worry -- take the skin off (and bring it to my house, please, so I can eat it).