TAMALE PIE

TAMALE PIE
Most of the recipes we feature on our blog are ones Olivia has developed or used and once and a while I throw an old favorite in for fun.  Last week Olivia broke her foot and her time spent creating in the kitchen is very limited for a while, so today I'm sharing with you a recipe I found at www.delish.com recently and tried it on my husband.  It is an excellent recipe and because there are only two of us being able to reheat the food for a second day is important to us.  This one passed that test beautifully and was just as good the second day as it was the first.  It is easy and very good.  I had some enchilada sauce leftover so I served it on the side as a garnish and it was great.  The second day I wanted to add a little moisture to the dish so after reheating, I served it with  a dollop of sour cream on top.  This is a great recipe and I think it is one your whole family will love.
-Nanette

Ingredients:
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup creamed corn
1/3 cup enchilada sauce
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
small handful cilantro leaves chopped (optional)
kosher salt
ground pepper

Directions
1.  Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2.  Prepare cornbread base.  In a medium bowl, combine corn muffin mix, sour cream, creamed corn and egg.  Combine.  Pour  into a large case iron skillet or a ceramic baking dish and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  (if not using cast iron, may take a bit longer).  Let cool slightly in pan,.

                                       

  

3.  Make the taco meat by cooking the onions over medium heat.  Season with salt, pepper, and spices and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add the ground beef and stir to break up the meat.  Season to taste and cook until cooked through.  Remove skillet from stove top and drain excess fat.

                                         

4.  Poke the surface of the cornbread with a fork.  Pour enchilada sauce over the cornbread.  Add the meat mixture and top with shredded cheese.  Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted about 20 minutes.  Remove foil and broil until cheese begins to brown.  Top with cilantro if desired.

 Enjoy!

BACON-GARLIC CHICKEN

BACON-GARLIC CHICKEN
Chicken is a favorite of both Olivia and I but sometimes it is easy to get in a rut and just crank out the same old recipes time and time again.  Well you can shake off the winter blues with this flavorful dish Olivia discovered from Taste of Home.  It combines the favorite flavors of bacon and chicken with heavenly herb combinations.  Olivia found that she liked substituting basil for the rosemary.  You can do the same if you like or try your own unique combination.  This recipe is easy to make, doesn't require a lot of exotic ingredients, and is packed with flavor.  Add it to your winter lineup. You will be glad you did!
-Nanette

IB

BACON - GARLIC CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 bacon strips, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Add to Shopping List

Directions

1. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/2-in. thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly coat both sides with flour; shake off excess. 
2. In a nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels; reserve 1 teaspoon drippings.
3. In same pan, heat butter and drippings over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until no longer pink, 4-6 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
4. Add garlic, rosemary and pepper flakes to pan; cook and stir until garlic begins to color, 1-2 minutes. Stir in broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Cook until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes.
5. Return chicken and bacon to pan; heat through, turning chicken a few times to coat. Yield: 4 servings.

CRESCENT ROLL HAM RING

CRESCENT ROLL HAM RING

Olivia and I hope you and your family had a fun, happy, and healthy holiday season.  We had an excellent time visiting Gatlinburg, TN during the week of Christmas.  If you heard about the wildfires that devastated the area and took the lives of fourteen people, you may wonder why we went there.  It is a family tradition and, quite frankly, there was no other place we would rather have been.  There is still much to see and do there and the people who rely so heavily on tourism would love to see you. Consider a trip there.  

Even though the holiday has passed, we still have leftover honey baked ham and there is always the challenge of finding unique ways to use what is left.  I found this great recipe at www.buzzfeed.com.  The original recipe called for granny smith apple, dijon mustard, and brie cheese.  I substituted a gala apple I had, left out the mustard because my husband doesn't like it, and used pepper jack cheese because that is what I had on hand.  It turned out great.  I am thinking you could do this same ring using a variety of substitutions like taco meat with refried beans and cheese, or a chicken version with yummy things you like.  It is a great and easy recipe.

Ingredients:

2 rolls of crescent rolls arranged on a greased cookie sheet around a bowl with wide ends overlapping

chopped ham (enough to go around the ring)

dijon mustard spread thinly around the inside of the ring

one carmelized onion

one granny smith apple peeled and sliced thinly

brie cheese cover the other ingredients arranged around the bowl

Remove the bowl after all the ingredients are arranged on the dough.

Fold the dough points in and pinch in the enter to keep melted cheese from coming out.

Place the ring in a 350 degree preheated over for 30 minutes.  Remove and slide onto a serving plate.

Enjoy!