Tamale Pie

Since introducing my kids to Trader Joe's tamales a few months ago, they have become all the rage in our house. I happen to love tamales too & thought it would be fun to try making some.
But, upon further investigation, I decided that they were a bit too complicated to deal with...being that my life, at the moment, will only allow for quick & easy meals.
So, I decided to try & find a tamale pie recipe. I figured they would like that just as much & it turns out they like it even more!
The recipe that looked the most fantastic to me, was one I found over on the food blog, Simply Recipes. I made quite a few changes to it, but the basis of the filling is pretty much the same.
I highly recommend trying this out, as it received more praise than anything I've made in a very long time. Don't be deterred by the long ingredient list. It really couldn't be easier! If you can make tacos, you can make this!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" x 12" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Then, start by getting some ingredients ready for the filling...
Finely chop one medium onion & one red bell pepper. Measure out 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin & 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.

Next, you will need 1 {14.5 ounce} can of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 {4 ounce} can of green chiles {drained & chopped} & 1 {3.8 ounce} can of sliced black olives {drained},

3 ears of fresh corn {kernels removed},

and 1 cup of shredded cheese. I used a mix of sharp cheddar & Monterey jack. You can use one, or the other...or a Mexican cheese blend.

With all your ingredients ready, begin cooking...
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add in 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef, along with the onions & bell peppers.
Cook, stirring & breaking up the ground beef as you go, until it's cooked through & the vegetables are softened.

Add in the spices & cook for an additional minute, or so. Remove the skillet from the heat & stir in the tomatoes, green chiles, olives, corn & shredded cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

For the topping, add 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar & 1 teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of milk, 2 large eggs & 6 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry & whisk until just incorporated. It's okay to have a few lumps.

Pour the batter over the filling & bake for 40 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is set & the filling is bubbling.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes & serve.

Tamale Pie

Adapted {quite a bit} from Simply Recipes
Makes a 9" x 12" casserole

filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 {14.5 ounce} can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 {4 ounce} can green chiles, drained & chopped
1 {3.8 ounce} can sliced black olives, drained
3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
1 cup shredded cheese {cheddar/jack mix works well here}

topping:
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" x 12" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
For the filling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the ground beef, onions & bell pepper. Cook, stirring & breaking up the ground beef as you go, until it's cooked through & the vegetables are softened. Add in the salt, chili powder & cumin. Cook for an additional minute, or so. Remove the skillet from the heat & stir in the tomatoes, green chiles, olives, corn & shredded cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
To make the topping, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar & salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs & melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry & whisk until just incorporated. It's okay to have a few lumps.
Pour the batter over the filling & bake for 40 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is set & the filling is bubbling. Let it cool for about 10 minutes & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.

Cold Sesame Noodles

I've tried countless recipes for sesame noodles & there is always something about each of them that I'm not completely wild about. Either it's too heavy on the peanut butter, or not heavy enough...too vinegary tasting, or too bland...
Here, I have come up with my own recipe...adding in all the things I love & leaving out the things I don't.
For the first time in a long while, I tried making them with Soba noodles {Japanese buckwheat noodles}...which, many recipes out there actually call for. Usually, I just use regular spaghetti. After trying these, I think I'll bag the Soba noodles next time. I've decided I like plain ole' spaghetti better. But, by all means, use whichever you'd like.
When it's as hot as it has been outside, eating cold sesame noodles is the best. It's a great picnic food & leftovers are always fantastic too!

To begin, add 3/4 cups smooth peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, a 1" chunk of peeled ginger {coarsely chopped}, 1 large clove of garlic {coarsely chopped}, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons of light brown sugar & 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth.
Then, with the motor running, drizzle in some water to thin the sauce. You will need about a 1/4 cup, or more, to get it to the right consistency. It should be thin enough to pour easily, but not so thin that it runs right off the pasta.

Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook 8 ounces of spaghetti {or Soba noodles}, according to the package instructions, or until al dente.
Drain the pasta & rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.

Meanwhile, chop 4 scallions {light & dark green parts} & add them to a large mixing bowl. To them, add in 1 medium cucumber {peeled, seeded & cut into matchsticks},

and 2 bell peppers {thinly sliced}. You can use any color pepper you'd like.

Toss everything up.

Pour in about half of the sauce & toss to combine well. Add more sauce, as necessary to get the desired consistency. You may not need all the sauce. But, save it, as it helps to have some on hand to moisten leftovers, which tend to dry out once chilled.
If desired, you can add in some protein...such as, cubed tofu, or shredded cooked chicken breast.

Toss to combine & garnish with sesame seeds. I like to use a mix of both black & toasted white seeds.

Cold Sesame Noodles

Serves 4

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1" chunk of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
water, to thin
8 ounces spaghetti, or soba noodles
4 scallions {light & dark green parts}, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced in matchsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Optional added protein: Cubed extra firm tofu, or shredded cooked chicken breast

Puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, light brown sugar & red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor, until smooth. With the motor running, add some water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce has a fluid consistency.
Cook the pasta, according to the package instructions, until cooked al dente. Drain & rinse under cold water to cool. Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl & add in the scallions, bell pepper & cucumber. Pour in about half of the sauce & toss to combine well. Add more sauce, as necessary to get the desired consistency. You may not need all the sauce. But, save it, as it helps to have some on hand to moisten leftovers, which tend to dry out once chilled.
If adding some tofu, or chicken to the salad, add that now. Toss to combine & garnish with the sesame seeds.
Click here for the printable recipe.

Garden 2010

Every year, our gardens get bigger & bigger...and, become more & more work. This year, DH built us two raised garden beds in our backyard. They replaced two very large & overgrown Forsythia bushes, that I've been dreaming of getting rid of for years.
Growing up, we always had a vegetable garden. So, enjoying summer harvests has been something I have always looked forward too. But, having our very own garden, is even more rewarding. We have moved on from our little container gardens & can plant so much more.
We've planted loads of tomatoes. Along with, eggplant, cucumbers, raspberries, strawberries, acorn squash, peanuts, amaranth, radishes, arugula, lettuce, sugar snap & sweet peas, dill, tarragon, basil {which is mostly all gone now, due to some insect, or rodent}, cilantro, beets, rapini {broccoli raab}, leeks, shallots, chocolate mint, spearmint, chives, bell peppers & of course, parsley.
I've already been using plenty of the herbs & this weekend we harvested our first ripe cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peas & eggplant. So amazing!

Bozo Picture of the Week...

This is how I found my guys, the other morning, when I went in their room to wake them up for camp.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw

This is another fantastic summer side dish. Perfect for a picnic, or BBQ. I made this for the Fourth, along with macaroni salad & balsamic ribs. Being as that was nearly 2 weeks ago...I am pretty far behind in my posts. With the Bozos out of school & summer activities in full swing, I am swamped!
Like the macaroni salad, this can be a make ahead dish. I recommend adding the dressing shortly before you serve it. If it's left on too long, it will be soggy. I found the recipe on "the kitchn" website & they recommended slicing the cabbage very, very thin. You want it to be almost thread-like & then cut into small enough lengths, that it's easy to eat, picnic-style.

Begin by removing the outer leaves from a head of white cabbage. Then, slice each quarter into very thin slices. Place into a large mixing bowl & toss it around to separate the cabbage pieces.
Add in 1 1/2 cups of salted, roasted peanuts & toss again.

Next, thinly slice 1 bunch of scallions {light & dark green parts}. Add them to the bowl, along with a 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro leaves. Toss well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together a 1/2 cup of canola oil, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil & 1 teaspoon soy sauce, until emulsified.

Pour it over the cabbage mixture & toss to combine. Taste, then season with some salt & black pepper, as needed. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup of peanuts & serve.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw

Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 8-10

1 head of cabbage
2 cups salted, roasted peanuts {divided}
1 bunch scallions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
salt & pepper, to taste

Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage & slice into quarters. Then, slice each quarter into very thin slices. Place into a large mixing bowl & toss it around to separate the cabbage pieces.
Add in 1 1/2 cups of the peanuts & toss again.
Thinly slice the scallions {light & dark green parts} & add them to the bowl, along with the cilantro. Toss well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the canola oil, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil & soy sauce, until emulsified. Pour it over the cabbage mixture & toss to combine. Taste, then season with some salt & black pepper, as needed. Garnish with the remaining 1/2 cup peanuts & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.