Tamale Bake

I found today's recipe on The Food in My Beard and knew that I HAD to make it! I love tamales but seriously they are a pain in the ass to make. So we only have them every once and a while, well not anymore!!!!!

Tamale Bake

Things you'll need:

For the Dough:

5 cups boiling water

1 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cups corn masa/corn flour

1 cup cold water

For the Filling:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix or as much as you desire

14oz diced tomatoes fresh or canned, really your choice

1 large onion diced

5 jalapenos, yes 5

3 cloves of garlic, mashed

cheese i would suggest at least 2 cups, depends on how much you like cheese

• Preheat oven to 350
• Heat a heavy pan on medium-high heat and brown the ground beef
• Remove beef from pan and add the onions and jalapenos, cook until brown
• Add garlic and spices and cook for about another minute
• Return beef to pot and mix well
• Add about 1 1/2 cups of water, simmer until the liquid has slightly reduced
• In a separate bowl mix together the cornmeal with some salt and add the boiling water
• Allow to sit for 5 minutes
• Add the masa/corn flour and the cold water and mix until you get an almost peanut butter like consistency
• Grease a 9 x 13 and add about half of your dough and spread up onto the side of the pan as best you can
• Add a layer of cheese and then the beef mixture
• Add another layer of cheese and the remaining dough
• Spread the dough over the beef mixtureand all of the delicious juices, sprinkle some cheese on top
• Bake for 1 hour

This was delicious! All the deliciousness of a tamales without the hassle! No complaints from the family is always a bonus too! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Lasagna

Alright so I know it's late for this but I love pumpkin so much I keep it on hand in the freezer. This is something I've made before and it was a huge hit! It is one of my personal favorites. I'll put down a simple sauce to use for this but if you are feeling up it use my sauce recipe

Pumpkin Lasagna

Things you'll need:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 lb spicy italian sausage
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 28oz can tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded romano cheese
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 lb cooked lasagna noodles

• Preheat oven to 350
• Place a heavy skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil and saute the onion until translucent
• Add sausage, use a spatula to break up while browning
• Add zucchini and allow to cook for 5 minutes
• In a medium pot combine tomato sauce and red wine and bring to a boil over medium-low heat salt and pepper to taste, I usually add a combination of parsley, oregano, thyme and basil. Allow to simmer for atleast 15 minutes
• In a large bowl mix together the ricotta, mozzarella and romano cheeses
• Add eggs, pumpkin and salt and pepper to taste, combine. If you're feeling spry add some cinnamon for a different flavor.
• Built your lasagna in a 9 x 12 starting with a layer of sauce, layer of pasta, layer of half of the sausage mixture, layer of half of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of noodles followed by the remaining sausage and cheese mixtures. Finishing with another layer of noodles, a layer of sauce and sprinkling some additional mozzarella cheese on top.
• Bake for 25 minutes. let cool for 15 before slicing and serving

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Easter is over, so now what to do with all of those hard boiled eggs......... 

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Things you'll need:

7 of those beautifully decorated eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1 tsp mustard

salt and pepper to taste

paprika for garish

• Halve the eggs length wise
• Removed the yolks and place in a small bowl
• Mash yolks together with mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt and pepper
• Fill eggs evenly with yolk mixture and sprinkle with paprika

Is that not the easiest thing to make?! This has to be my shortest entry yet. Man are these things good though. Did not last very long at all! Sometimes the easiest things are the best, Enjoy!

Corned beef

I start this entry by revealing that this is my favorite holiday. Being Irish I feel especially awesome on this day!  So I felt the need to create a corned beef brisket from scratch. Once I decided this Greg said I became as giddy as a school girl. I will say this is a timely ordeal, not because of how much effort it takes but because of how long you have to let it sit. However it is totally worth it!

Corned beef

Things you'll need:

1 beef brisket about 4-5 lbs, trimmed
2 qt water
1 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 lbs ice
1 small onion quartered
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped

• Place the water in a 6 to 8 qt stock pot along with all of the spices
• Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved
• Remove from heat and add ice, stir until the ice has melted. If necessary place in refrigerator until it reaches 45 degrees. Congratulations you have now made the brine!
• Place brisket in a 2 gal zip top bag and add the brine
• Seal and lay flat in a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days
• Check daily to make sure the beef is completely covered and stir/shake the brine
• After the 10 days, remove the beef from the brine and rinse very well under cool water
• place brisket in a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the vegetables and cover with water by 1 in
• Set over high heat and bring to a boil
• Reduce to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours
• Remove and slice against the grain

This has by far been my favorite meal I've made. We had some friends over and they all enjoyed it, even the ones that have never enjoyed corned beef before! I think I'll make this for my birthday meal HAHA!

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

This takes me back to my yester years. I remember making these with my mom and they were delicious! So for this I am using melted chocolate for the cocoa powder simply because we do not have enough and damn it I want to make these.

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter Chips

Things you'll need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 oz baking chocolate melted
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup/2 sticks of butter room temp
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 10 oz package peanut butter chips

• Start by melting your baking chocolate in a double boiler. if you don't have one, I bet you actually do. Simply fill a 2 qt sauce pan half way with water and place a glass bowl on top of it and place the chocolate in that.
• Preheat oven to 350
• Cream your butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
• Add vanilla and eggs making sure to scrape the bowl each time you add one
• Add the melted chocolate after it has cooled
• Gradually add the baking soda, salt and flour until combine
• fold in the peanut butter chips and spoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet in about tbsp increments 
• Bake for 8-9 minutes

These are my favoritest cookies EVER! They are super moist and perfectly rich, I think the melted chocolate instead of the cocoa helped out with that. It made about 3 dozen and there is only a dozen left. The family has enjoyed them just about as much as I. Carol even exclaimed "you're evil" because she couldn't stop eating them, they were so good. Enjoy!

Stuffed Chilies

Hello readers,
I know it's been a while and for that I am sorry. The women of the house have decided to go on diets for on extended period of time. This meant the hubby and I were not allowed to cook with certain things and in turn made the cooking very boring and repetitive. Knowing very well that the Superbowl and a lot of delicious but not diet approved food was coming up it ended. Now that the leftovers are nearly gone except the massive amount of spinach dip I made, cooking will be commencing again!
That being said stuffed chilies is what's for dinner tonight. Personally I love them. My mom used to make them every once and a while when I was younger and I ate them up! I also found some anaheims in the fridge recently and have wanted to stuff them since.

Stuffed Chilies

Things you'll need:

4 anaheim, passilla or pablano chilies
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup or 4 oz cream cheese soften
1 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup diced onions
1 tbsp or 1 packet taco seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 - 2 cups salsa

• In a large pot boil some water with the chicken breasts in it with some salt for about an hour, this ensures tenderness
• While the chicken is cooking clean out your chilies. You can do this 1 of 2 ways; 1 cut the top off and clean out the insides or 2 make a cut down the side length wise and clean it out that way. Be sure to rinse under water to be sure to get all of those seeds out
• Preheat your oven to 350
• Once the chicken is cooked turn off the burner and let it sit for atleast 15 min
• Now you get to shred! If you have a kitchenaid mixer put the chicken in that with the paddle attachment and turn on low. If not you have to do it the old fashion way with forks...
• Once the chicken is shredded mix the rest of the ingredients except the salsa with it
• Not you get to get dirty and stuff the peppers!
• Once stuffed, place in a 9 x 9 top with salsa (as much as you desire) put just enough water or chicken broth in the pan to cover the bottom cover with tin foil and bake for 20 - 25 min minutes

Voila! Everyone really enjoyed these. The anaheims have a mild heat to them so if you prefer something spicier use the passillas. This was a simple meal for a great outcome! I love easy meals 

Inside Out Apple Pie al a mode

Found this on Epicurious. It's basically an ice cream pie served with warm caramelized apples. A great way to give an old favorite some new life!

Inside Out Apple Pie a la Mode

Things you'll need:

Oat Crust

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped raw pecans
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling

• 1 quart vanilla ice cream

Topping

• 3 tbls butter
• 4 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the crust, stir together the oats, pecans, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
• Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan and bake until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven and use the back of a spoon to push the crust back up the sides, as it will have fallen a bit, and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften for about 10 minutes. 
• Scoop the ice cream into the pie shell and spread it in an even layer. I find this works best by using a large spoon and dipping it in warm water every so often to help spread the ice cream out flat. 
• Put the pie back in the freezer to firm up for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days, placing a piece of plastic wrap on top if you'll be freezing it for more than a few hours.
• To make the topping, melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the apple slices and sauté until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 
• Add the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla and continue cooking until a sauce forms, another 2 minutes.
• Remove the ice cream pie from the freeze, slice and serve

This was a great alternative to the usual! And the crust was amazing! I used a Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream I found at Safeway called "Ole Vanilla" that only made it better. Enjoy!