Granny's Tamale Pie

This recipe is fairly easy, but rather involved--not exactly something I would make on a normal weekday night. I really enjoyed it, which is saying a lot considering the struggles I've had with eating chicken during this pregnancy.

Tamale Pie

3lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed

salt and pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

8 slices bacon, chopped

1 onion, minced

2 garlic gloves, minced

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn

1 (6 oz) can pitted black olives, drained and chopped

2 cups yellow corn meal

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

boiling water

Sauce

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

salt and pepper

1. Brown Chicken Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of chicken until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate and discard skin. Repeat with additional 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken.

2. Braise Chicken Stir broth into pot, scraping up any browned bits. Add browned chicken, along with any accumulated juices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until chicken is fork tender, about 1 hour. Transfer chicken to plate. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, set aside. Strain broth, reserving 1 1/2 cups for sauce. (Save any remaining broth for another use.)

3. Cook Vegetables Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate. Cook onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt in bacon fat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, corn, olives, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remaining oil and bring to a boil.

4. Make Base Whisk cornmeal, milk and eggs in medium bowl until smooth. Slowly pour cornmeal mixture into pot, stirring constantly to prevent clumping, and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in reserved bacon.

5. Assemble and Bake Carefully pour half (about 4 cups) of cornmeal mixture into large bowl and reserve. Smooth surface of remaining cornmeal mixture in pot, then top with shredded chicken. Pour reserved cornmeal mixture evenly over chicken and smooth surface. Arrange pot inside large roasting pan. Place roasting pan on oven rack and carefully pour enough boiling water into the pan to reach one-third of way up sides of Dutch oven. Bake until cornmeal mixture is firm, dry and lightly browned, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Carefully remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

6. Make Sauce While pie cools, toast flour in dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring continually, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce and reserved chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing sauce at table.

Cook's Country October/November 2009

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

• 2 pounds Sweet Potatoes
• 4 strips Bacon (I use a little more than this, maybe 6 strips bacon)
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 2-½ Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 2 cups Reduced-fat Milk
• 1-¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place potatoes in a large pot of boiling water. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel, crumble and set aside.
3. Add chopped onion to bacon drippings and cook until tender. Stir in flour over low heat and cook to a paste. Add salt and pepper. Add milk and cook until mixture thickens slightly.
4. Arrange half of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of an 11×7 inch baking dish. Sprinkle on half of the crumbled bacon. Pour on half of the milk mixture. Arrange remaining potatoes, sprinkle with remaining bacon and pour the rest of the milk mixture over the top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If desired, brown cheese for 1-2 minutes under the broiler.

** recipe posted on here by the pioneer woman's Tasty Kitchen **

Jalepeno Poppers

• 10 medium size jalepenos, cut in half (you can make as many or few as you want), remove the stem, ribs and seeds
• 8 oz soft cream cheese
• 1/4 small white onion
• 1 lb bacon

Cut jalepenos in half, stuff with cream cheese and slice of onion. Wrap with 1 slice of bacon. Poke with toothpick to hold it together. Place on baking sheet lined in foil. Bake for 20-30 min on 400 degrees or until jalepeno is tender.

**** these taste great on the grill as well ****

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