Cumin Scented Tamale Bake

This is one of my new family favorites.  All the ingredients are likely to be in the kitchen, and there are easy substitutions if not.  If you like a thick cornbread layer, use a smaller dish (8x8 or 9x9).  For a thinner layer, try a 9x13 pan.   The recipe could easily be doubled and baked in two pans for a crowd.

Check your chili powder ingredients - if it doesn't list salt, you'll need to add more to the tamale filling.  The toasted cumin gives the dish a great flavor, but if all you've got is pre-ground, by all means use that.  To toast, add the whole seeds to a dry skillet and heat over medium 5-10 minutes until fragrant.  Keep watch!  They'll go from perfect to burnt in an instant.

Cumin Scented Tamale Bake

Tamale Filling:

• 2 T vegetable oil


• 1 medium onion, minced


• 1 medium sweet pepper, minced


• 2 T chili powder


• 1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground


• salt


• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced


• 1 lb ground beef or turkey


• 1 can black or kidney beans


• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained, or 1 1/2 c fresh diced tomatoes


• 1 T cider vinegar


• 1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Cumin Cornbread Topping

• 3/4 c all purpose flour


• 3/4 c yellow cornmeal


• 3 T  sugar


• 3/4 tsp baking powder


• 3/4 tsp baking soda


• 3/4 tsp salt


• 1 tsp cumin, toasted and ground


• 3/4 c buttermilk


• 1 egg


• 3 T butter, melted and cooled

For the tamale filling: Cook ground beef or turkey in a large skillet until browned.  Drain off fat and discard.  Add onions and peppers to the skillet, cooking until soft.  Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin, and cook 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes, beans,vinegar, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer.  If it looks dry, add a little water.  Stir in the cheddar and transfer to a greased  baking dish.

Heat oven to 450°.

For the cornbread topping: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cumin in a large bowl.  Whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a separate bowl.  Add the buttermilk mixture all at once to the cornbread mixture and stir until just combined.  Stir in the melted butter.

Spread the cornbread batter evenly over the tamale filling.  Bake until cornbread is cooked through, 10-15 minutes.

Rice Carbonara

I've been on a rice kick lately, and this recipe makes rice the star, rather than a supporting character.  I served it with sauteed chicken, but it would be just fine on its own as a simple dinner.  You could probably even make it low fat if you used turkey bacon and fat free half and half, but what fun would that be? 

Rice Carbonara

• 1 c dry rice


• 4 slices bacon


• 1/2 onion, diced


• 3 large egg yolks


• 1/2 c heavy cream


• 3/4 c grated Parmesan or Romano


• 3/4 c peas, fresh or frozen


• Freshly ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package, using half water, half chicken stock. 

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.  Pour off all but 1 T bacon fat.  Add onion and saute 8-10 minutes until cooked through. 

Microwave peas 3-4 minutes.  Mix peas, egg yolks, cream, cheese, and pepper in a large bowl.  Crumble bacon and add to the bowl, along with the onion.  Stir in the cooked rice.

Arepas

I have an excess of cornmeal, and lots of posts about arepas have been popping up in my reader, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and see what all the fuss is about.  My version is based on Mark Bittman's in the NYT.  The kids loved them.  I though they were good, but not out of this world. 



Arepas with Cheese

• 1 c finely ground cornmeal


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 c grated Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or blend


• 1 c milk


• 2 T butter


• 3 scallions,white and light green part, finely chopped


• 1 jalpeno, seeded, finely chopped


• Vegetable oil

Mix cornmeal, salt, and cheese in a large bowl.  Heat milk in microwave 1 1/2 -2 minutes, until it starts to steam.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Stir into the cornmeal mixture until a thick dough forms.  Stir in scallions and jalapeno.

Let batter rest 15 minutes.  Shape into about 12 arepas by forming a ball, then pressing between your palms to form a 1/2" disk. 

Generously cover the bottom of a large skillet, and heat on medium high.  Add arepas, cooking in batches if necessary.  Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.  Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.  Serve warm.

Finally Mac & Cheese

Every time I decide to make mac & cheese I scour the internet and my cookbooks for a good recipe, and every time I'm disappointed.  My criteria:

• few dishes to wash


• budget friendly cheeses (I love gourmet cheeses, but we're talking dinner for kids here!)


• quick & easy

So this time I decided to wing it, and we've found a winner.   I added crabmeat (ok - imitation crabmeat - I'm not perfect).  You could also use prepared bread crumbs, or none at all.



I'm going to post directions, rather than a recipe, because I didn't measure anything.

1. Cook 1 lb small whole wheat pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water.*If you add a tiny bit of oil to the pot, it won't boil over.

2. While pasta cooks, toast 2 slices of bread.  I used whole wheat, which is why my topping is so dark.  Tear the toast into 3 or 4 pieces, and add it to the workbowl of a food processor, along with a few chunks of parmesan, and about 1 tsp of Old Bay.  Pulse until it forms crumbs.  Add 1/2 T butter cut into chunks and pulse 3-4 more times.  Set aside.

3. Drain and rinse pasta.  Return pan to the stove, and add 1/2 stick of butter.  Melt butter over medium heat, then add 1/4 c flour and stir until combined.  Add about 2 c milk in batches, stirring completely after each addition.  Stir until smooth and thickened.  Whisk in 1 T Old Bay, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp ground mustard.  Add 2 c assorted shredded cheeses - I used 1 cheddar and 1 c Italian cheese blend w/ mozzarella, parmesan, and fontina.  Don't use more than 1 c cheddar or its too sharp and bitter.  Stir until smooth and melted.  Stir in pasta. 

4. Pour into buttered 9x12 pan, top with bread crumbs, and broil on low 8-10 minutes until topping is golden brown.