Recipe Makeover - Tamale Pie

Remember the tamale pie from many moons ago? You don't?! Shocking! You can find the original recipe here 
http://omgnotanotherfoodblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/thats-right-you-asked.html 

Well, the tamale pie was topped with a tasty polenta. Now that Fall is fast approaching, I give you a new recipe for the polenta topping to make it much tastier. 

Ingredients:
1 cup corn meal or polenta
1 T granulated garlic
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 T dried oregano
2 tsp salt
3 cups water

Mix the dry ingredients together well. Bring the water to the boil. When boiling, add the polenta in a steady stream and stir immediately with a whisk. Pull the whole thing off the heat and continue to mix for another 2 minutes (it will be very thick). Pour over the filling of tamale pie and continue on with the recipe.

A pound of this, a pound of that...

Really fun to do with kids that like to measure. 

Lemon Zest Pound Cake
makes 2 loaf pan cakes

Ingredients:
1 lb butter 
1 lb sugar (2 cups)
1 lb large eggs (about 9)
1tsp vanilla
zest from 1 lemon 
1 lb well sifted flour (about 4 cups)


Cream the butter and slowly add the sugar. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and lemon zest. Slowly add the flour at the lowest speed just until well incorporated. Pour into two greased loaf pans lined with parchment. 
Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After 1 hour, check with a toothpick. If not done, keep checking in 10 minute increments. 
Remove from oven, let sit for 10 minutes and remove from loaf pan to a cooling rack. 

Unroll an orange

I saw this on a friend's Pinterest board but could follow the link, so I made my own! This is a great way to pack a clementine or little orange in a lunch box. It's fun and my kids don't have to try to peel anything.

Start by peeling a round spot off the top of the orange.

Now do the bottom.

Make a cut along one of the segments and gently separate.

Carefully, open the orange separating the segments from each other, but not the rind.

                                                                   Once unrolled, it can be rolled back up and placed in the lunch box.

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

Yummy Yummy Slow cooked pork in salsa to be used for soft or crispy taco shells. This is an easy recipe. It will fill up the pot, but after a few hours, the pork shrinks down and the veg as well, so it shouldn't bubble over to the counter top. 

Ingredients:

6 1/2-8lb Pork shoulder (might also be called Boston Butt)
24 oz jar of green tomatillo salsa
1lb fresh tomatillo
2 yellow onions
1 jalapeno pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro - chopped  (might be called coriander)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
Salt
Pepper 12 oz water

Cute the pork shoulder down into 4 equal-ish pieces. Season with salt and pepper. 

You can just see the bone slightly to the left of center , running diagonally up the pork.  Plan to cut around the bone when starting.

Now you have a better view of that bone sticking out the top of the left piece. Plan to cut around it again for the last cut.

And here it is! Bone is located in one piece. It can be cut out entirely at this point, but I leave it in. 

Peel and quarter the tomatillos and onions. 

These are the tomatillos, with the dry husky skin, slightly peeled back and with the skin  almost completely removed.

Place the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the pork pieces on top of the onions. Add the tomatillo pieces down the sides and on top of the meat. 
Make a slice in the side of the jalapeno and taste it for the spiciness that is preferred. (Some peppers are much spicier than others. I have found that even buying the same type from the same store can vary in flavor quite a bit.) 

Want less heat? Carefully, remove the the seeds and white pith, then wash your hands carefully. Or you can wait to slice the pepper and just poke some in the side with a knife.Want more heat? Use the whole pepper, seeds and pith.

Add the desired cut of jalapeno to the pot. Pour the salsa over the whole thing and then add the water. 

This is ready to cook! 

Cook on high for 5-6 hours. Check to see if the pork is tender and able to be shredded. Remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Let the sauce cook down a bit and add back the meat to the pot with the chopped cilantro. It will not be a thick sauce, unless you choose to cook it down on the stove top. 


Put in taco shells or tortillas with the fixings that you like - tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, etc.

Fun with M&M's.

It's not really cooking, but it sure was fun! The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is next week, as the kids are on holiday, today was the party. Our contribution was a Union Jack made from peanut M&M's.

I can't believe I forgot about this recipe...

So easy and such a nice change from plain bread, or bread and butter, or garlic bread, I think you get the picture. As a matter of fact, here it is, the picture, I mean:

Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread)

No, it's not my best picture, but it's sooooo tasty. It's a recipe from Spain and there are tons of ways to adapt to your taste. This makes up the whole loaf. Serve along side a salad or instead of garlic bread. Top with arugula, cured ham, or sliced tomatoes for a light lunch.

Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread) 

Ingredients:

1 loaf of nice bread, ciabatta, rustic, the one in the picture is a rosemary sourdough

Olive oil

3 Large Garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

2 Tomatos, cut in half

Kosher salt or sea salt flakes

Slice the bread into 3/4" slices and toast in a toaster or oven until just starting to get crisp on the top. You want the bread to still have it's chewy/soft interior. When the toasted bread is ready, rub the cut garlic slice all over each slice. Next, rub the tomato all over each slice. The bread will be slightly colored from the tomato, but shouldn't be wet. Drizzle olive oil and then sprinkle the salt.

Very easy, very yummy. Enjoy!