Tamale Chicken Casserole

I know this looks a little messy, but let me tell you, it is sooooo good. I love a good tamale. I loved them so much I found a good recipe so that I could make tamales myself at home... and they are always a hit. Enter the tamale casserole. All the flavor of a good tamale, but with a whole lot less prep time and work. I found this Chili Verde Chicken Tamale Casserole recipe on Pinterest, and while the originial was ok, and actually less time consuming, I think the changes I made raised it to another level. The original used canned poblanos and rotisserie chicken. In addition to cooking a spicy chicken to use, I also added jalapeños and onion to counter balance the sweetness of the corn in the original recipe... And there is so much flavor packed into this casserole... so very much flavor. It is delicious. And if you have a small family, buy some roughly 9x9 inches, almost 3 inches deep, poultry aluminum pans, and split the recipe into two servings and freeze one of them. Two birds, one stone! That's my kind of cooking!

FOR THE CHICKEN FILLING:
2.5-3 lbs chicken
Seasonings - adobo, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chile verde enchilada sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic powder

FOR THE TAMALE DOUGH:
3 c. masa harina
Couple of tablespoons of olive oil
2-3 poblanos (roasted) - depending on how spicy you want it
1-2 jalapeños (roasted) - depending on how spicy they are are and how spicy you want it
1 medium onion (roasted)
2 tsp coarse kosher sea salt
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
12 tbsp unsalted butter - cold and cut into 12 pieces
3 cups frozen corn - thawed, divided
2 1/4 cups chicken broth - more if needed

OTHER:
3-4 cups grated monterey jack cheese - divided (I used more than this, especially when I divided it into two separate servings)
1 cup chile verde enchilada sauce
2 Tbsp cilantro for garnish



Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat the peppers and onions in olive oil.



Roast them in a 350 degree oven until the peppers are blistered. Carefully peel off the peppers' skins. I used a fork and my fingers; just be careful not to burn yourself.



Season both sides of the chicken; cook on med-high until seared on both sides. 

Set the chicken aside on a plate to cool; set the skillet aside - you'll use this again. Once the chicken is cooled, shred it.

Now to make the masa for the tamale part of the casserole, I had to divide mine into two batches. All of the ingredients overloaded my food processor the first time I made this. In your food process (or blender) add half of the following ingredients: masa; the roasted poblanos, jalapeños and onion; salt; sugar; baking powder; black pepper; and butter, and 1 cup of corn.



Pulse until mixture is coarse and blended.



Slowly drizzle just over 1 cup of chicken broth until the mixture resembles the consistency of peanut butter.

Scrape out that portion into a bowl, and then mix up the remaining half. Blend the two portions together, and then add the remaining cup of corn and mix in. Set aside while you finish preparing the chicken.

In the skillet you cooked the chicken in, put the shredded chicken back in it. Add the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, garlic powder, and cilantro. Mix together, and then simmer until warmed through and thickened slightly.



Lightly spray your pan(s) - one 9x13 or two 8x8 or 9x9, just ensure they are between 2.5-3 inches deep - with cooking spray.

If using one pan, press half the tamale mixture into the bottom of your pan. Top with about 3/4-1 cup of cheese. Next layer the chicken filling evenly. Top with another 3/4-1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining tamale mixture. Pour 1 cup (or a little more to get an even layer of coverage) of enchilada sauce over the tamale mixture. Top it all with 1.5-2 cups of cheese.

If using two pans, press quarter of the tamale mixture into the bottom of your pan. Top with about 1/2 cup of cheese. Next layer half the chicken filling evenly. Top with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Layer another quarter of the tamale mixture. Pour 1/2 cup (or a little more to get an even layer of coverage) of enchilada sauce over the tamale mixture. Top it all with 3/4-1 cup of cheese. Repeat for second dish.

If you used two pans and you're going to freeze one, cut a piece of plastic and lightly spray it with cooking spray. Cover the dish and freeze until solid. Then vacuum seal it. If you can't vacuum seal, then tightly wrap the dish in plastic and then cover that with aluminum foil. Before baking, thaw the dish (overnight in the fridge would work well).

To bake, cover the dish with aluminum foil (spray with cooking spray to keep the cheese from sticking). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking another 10 minutes or so until the top is bubbly and browned to your liking. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Squash Casserole

It took me years to get around to eating squash. I mean, literally, years. I was in my 30s before I tried it. I'm still a little limited in how I eat it. I either like it raw and sliced or this casserole. This casserole is so flavorful. I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you give it a try. I got this recipe from my mom, but I'm not really sure where she found it from all of those years ago.

2.5 to 3 lbs of squash (cubed)
1 large onion (diced)
1 stack saltine crackers (crushed)
3 Tbsps melted butter
1 egg
1 cup milk
add salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (save 1/4 cup of cheese for later)

Cut squash and dice onion.

Cover with water and boil squash and onion with salt and pepper until squash is fork tender.

Drain water and mash squash until you reach the texture you prefer - I do not like large chunks of squash, so I mash mine quite a bit.

While squash and onion are cooking, gather remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Start with the crackers - a trick I've learned when you need to crush a whole pack of crackers is to push the crackers down to one end and then force them into a slant with your fingers. Then start crushing. Do this over the bowl you're using to catch any crumbs. When it feels crushed enough, then just open one end and pour the crumbs in the bowl.

 Add the egg, milk, melted butter and most of the cheese to the crackers.

When squash is cooked, drain water and mash squash and onion.

Combine with other ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a greased casserole dish, and bake at 400 degrees about 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over hot casserole.

Chicken al-a-good

A long, long time ago in a land far, far... oops! This isn't a fairy tale; this is the real deal. My mom got this recipe from her cousin (who is sort of like an aunt to me) quite a few years ago, and it just hits the spot! It's not difficult to make... at least my adaptation isn't. The original recipe was a bit time consuming, but I've adjusted. Also, the original recipe (see right) makes a 9x13 casserole. Having a fairly small family, that is just too much food, so what I'm going to give you are the ingredients necessary for an 8x8 casserole. This comfortably feeds two with leftovers.

2 lbs boneless chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz (1/2 cup) sour cream
1 pack of saltine crackers
1 stick butter

Begin by boiling the chicken until cooked through. Remove from stove and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. Dice the chicken into bite size pieces.

In a bowl, mix the sour cream and cream of chicken until combined and smooth.

Layer this mixture over the diced chicken.

In another bowl, melt the butter. I use a metal bowl and melt it on the stove as I'm working on the other parts. You could melt it in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl if you prefer. Before opening the bag of crackers, shift them all to one end, lay the first few flat and begin to crush the crackers working all the way through the bag. Once all the crackers are crushed, add them to the butter, and using a fork, mix the crackers until each one is coated and all the butter is absorbed.

Layer the cracker mixture on top of the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees about 35-45 minutes, or until crackers are golden brown and the soup mixture is bubbling at the edges.

Brussels Sprout Gratin

I wish I could tell you that my daughter absolutely loved this recipe, but actually she didn't. My daughter would much prefer to have just a plain Brussels sprout pile on her plate. Which I like as well, but I'm always on the lookout for a new way to fix a vegetable I like. And even though she did not like this one, I, on the other hand, liked it very much. I think if I make it again I will add a little bit more cream mixture and cheese, but the flavor of this Guy Fieri recipe is fantastic. You can find the original recipe for Brussels Sprout Gratin on the Food Network website. This was the first time I've tried panko breadcrumbs, and WOW! You will be amazed and the flavor and crunch they have. Really good!

1 lb brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed
3/4 cups grated sharp Cheddar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp picked fresh thyme leaves
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 to 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Shave the brussels sprouts horizontally into 1/8-inch slices with a sharp knife or mandoline. Add to a bowl. Add the Cheddar, flour, thyme, garlic and some salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine.

 

Add the mixture to an 8- by 8-inch baking dish, packing it in. Pour over the heavy cream.

In a small bowl, combine the panko, Parmesan and oil and pour over the Brussels sprout mixture.

Bake uncovered until the Brussels sprout are tender, the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Some dishes we make are holiday dishes.  Meaning the only time of the year we make them are during the holidays or special occasions. That is what broccoli and rice casserole is for our family. It's not that we don't like it enough, it's just become the tradition to make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that seems to satisfy the urge for the next 11 months. I'm not sure where my mom got this recipe, but it's the one we've used since I was a little girl.

1 medium onion

3 Tbsp margarine

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 lb Cheese whiz

3 cups cooked rice

10 ounces of chopped frozen broccoli (or two of the frozen blocks)

I always cook the broccoli and rice per the package directions before I begin the sauce. That gives them a chance to cool off a bit. In a medium size skillet, cook the butter and onions until they are softened and translucent.

Add the cream of chicken soup and milk and whisk until smooth.

Add Cheese whiz and whisk until smooth.

You can mix in the casserole dish, but I always seemed to have trouble because it was just too full to mix properly. I use a large bowl and combine the broccoli, rice and cheese mixture before I pour it into the casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until casserole begins to brown around the edges.

Baked Cauliflower

Some vegetables I like without any adornment... raw carrots, raw squash, raw cucumbers, boiled corn without butter or additional salt, perfectly steamed broccoli. Some vegetables, I probably won't be eating at all unless it's adorned very well. Peas... not going to happen. I cook with them in casseroles and such, but I'm not eating a spoonful. Cauliflower, I'm more apathetic about. I don't like it raw, but it has to be steamed just right for me to like it. This is an easy way to get in a good serving of cauliflower, and not really even acknowledge that you're eating it. It's a recipe my mother's been making for years, but all I have is a hand-written recipe, and of course I've tweaked it a little since I've been making it.

Head of cauliflower
butter (about 4 Tbsps or so)
Flour (about 3-4 Tbsps)
Milk
Italian-style breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

Cut off the green stalk and boil the cauliflower until fork tender. Pour out water, and let cauliflower cool. I use a colander.

Once cooled, break into bite-size pieces and place in casserole dish. I use an 8X8 glass dish. Start the sauce, which is really just a white gravy. In skillet, melt butter, and then whisk in flour to create a roux. 

Add a little milk and continue to whisk; add a little more and keep whisking. Adding a little at a time helps you keep the gravy smooth.

Bring it to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer. It will thicken as you stir it. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour sauce over cauliflower.

Sprinkle a thin layer of bread crumbs across top. Add a few evenly spaced very small pats of butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until top begins to brown.