Happy Saturday everyone! I've been in the kitchen this afternoon cooking up a few recipes. Sometimes you're in the mood to cook and other days, not so much. I think the reason I'm not always in the mood to cook is the cleanup. I am a messy cook. I get stuff all over floor, in the crevasses (you know, between the oven and the counter), the stove, you name it. I don't mind the dishes, it's all the other disasters I make. It's usually worth it...depending on the day and how the dish turns out.
Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday. I think it's almost become more about the food than the game, depending on who you ask. It is the second most popular food and beverage consumption day after Thanksgiving. I can see that. They say Americans will eat over 1.25 billion wings tomorrow, drink 50 million cases of beer, spending an average of $68 on food for the Super Bowl. That's a lot of good food and drink.
Did you know that each winning player gets paid $92,000 and each losing player $46,000? I'm sure with the millions they make each season, this isn't much to talk about. The trophy itself is worth $25,000. A few interesting facts.
I had planned to post a Super Bowl worthy dish but ran out of time. My usual excuse. There are quite a few on the blog already that would be good if you're scrambling to find a recipe - Party Meatballs, Easy Turkey Chili, Olive and Cheese Crostini, and Crab Bites to name a few.
This Turkey Tamale casserole is great for a weeknight. You can even make it on Sunday and then heat it up on the night you want to serve it. The flavors are great. All you need is a salad or vegetable on the side and you're ready to go.
Turkey Tamale Pie
Meat Mixture
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and Pepper
Corn Topping
4 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or I substituted 1 cup Pecorino Romano (sheep cheese)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saute pan, cook turkey, onion and garlic, salt and pepper until meat is cooked through. Add tomatoes, olives, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon. Mix well. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. Transfer to a 13x9 inch pan.
In a large saucepan, add water and whisk in cornmeal over medium high heat. Mix well and and stir for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and add butter, salt, pepper and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well. Taste for seasoning. Pour or spoon over the top of the meat mixture and spread it evening over mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly around the edges. Serves 8. Freezes well too.
Adapted from Better Homes and Garden Mexican Authentic & Delicious
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