Hot Tamale!

It's a lovely, lazy day here at the Castle as we are recuperating from my daughter's 20th birthday party. *smile* In between post-party clean-up, Beren and I are watching movies, doing laundry, etc, just a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Since my family adores Mexican food, I'm whipping up a Tamale Pie for tonight's dinner. The original recipe is once again from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
Copyright 1953, 1962.


Tamale Pie
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1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 pound ground beef
16 ounces tomato sauce
12 ounces canned corn -- drained
1 cup chopped olives -- 1/2" cubes
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
dash pepper
1 1/2 cups processed American cheese -- shredded
Corn-meal topper:
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Cook onion and green pepper in a little hot fat till just tender. Add meat; brown lightly. Add next 8 ingredients. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until thick. Add cheese; stir till melted. Pour into greased 10x-16x1-1/2-inch baking dish.

Make Corn-Meal Topper: Stir corn meal and salt into cold water. Cook and stir till thick. Add butter; mix well. Spoon over hot meat mixture in 3 lengthwise strips.

Bake casserole in moderate oven (375°) about 40 minutes.

Serves 6.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 480 Calories; 30g Fat (54.1% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 80mg Cholesterol; 1817mg Sodium.

This was a very simple Redux and look at the calorie/fat reduction! I decided to leave the butter in w/the cornmeal as it only added 7 calories and really makes a difference in taste to me.

Since dinner was running late tonight, my trusty assistant lent a hand in the kitchen, chopping the veggies for me. :)





Please note: I am using the Mastercook recipe program to tally nutritional information then plugging those numbers into the online WW calculator to determine POINTS. While I believe it to be accurate, please feel free to do the math yourself in your own way.


Tamale Pie Redux

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1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
12 ounces boca® Meatless Ground Crumbles
16 ounces tomato sauce
12 ounces whole kernel corn, frozen -- thawed and drained
1 cup sliced black olives
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
dash pepper
1 1/2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese -- shredded
Corn-Meal Topper:
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon butter

Cook onion and green pepper in a nonstick skillet that has been lightly sprayed with olive-oil-flavored cooking spray, just until tender. Add Boca crumbles until just defrosted, then add 7 ingredients. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until thick. Add cheese; stir till melted. Pour into greased 10x6x1-1/2-inch baking dish.

Make Corn-meal Topper: Stir corn meal and salt into cold water. Cook and stir till thick. Add butter; mix well. Spoon over hot mixture in 3 lengthwise strips.

Bake casserole in moderate oven (375°) about 40 minutes.


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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 247 Calories; 7g Fat (25.2% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 1391mg Sodium.

The Verdict: We all really enjoyed this but thought it could use some sour cream and a bit of cheese for garnish, will definitely try that next time.