Real Homemade Tamales

 

Ingredients 

Tamale Filling

1 1/4 pounds pork loin
1 large onion, halved
1 clove garlic
4 dried California chile pods
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Tamale Dough

2 cups masa harina
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup lard
1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
1 cup sour cream

Directions

1.  Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.

2.  Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.

3.  Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.

4.  Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.

5.  Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

3 h 35 m 16 servings 236 cals

Tea Mail (Nov 4)

 

Champurrado

 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole clove
1 pod star anise (optional)
4 1/4 cups milk
2 tablets Mexican chocolate (such as Chocolate Ibarra®)
3/4 cup pinole (coarse ground maize flour)
1 pinch crushed piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar cone), or more to taste 

Directions

1.  Bring water, cinnamon stick, clove, and star anise to a boil in a saucepan; remove from heat and allow spices to steep until water is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Strain.

2.  Heat milk, chocolate, and pinole in another saucepan over medium heat, whisking until chocolate is dissolved and liquid is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add piloncillo; let rest until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes more. Pour cinnamon water into chocolate mixture and stir to combine.

Super Easy Owl Cupcakes

 

Ingredients

1 premade chocolate cake mix or your favorite chocolate cake recipe
12 brown cupcake liners
1 favorite chocolate frosting recipe
24 Oreo cookies, split open with creamy filling intact (you should have 12 cream-topped cookies)
24 brown M&Ms and 12 orange M&Ms

Directions

Make cake according to package instructions. Line cupcake liners and pour batter into individual cups until 2/3 full. Bake according to packaged instructions. Allow to cool completely before generously frosting top of cupcakes.

Split Oreos in half crosswise with a paring knife and retain the cookie with the cream.

Using two cream-topped cookies, gently press them (cream side up) to the frosting, butting them up next to each other.

Using some of the left over frosting, lightly dab a small amount to the backside of a brown M&M and place one to each Oreo half to form eyes.

Turning an orange M&M on it's side, gently press it down into the frosting in between the cookies eyes to form the beak.

Peak the icing a little bit to form a couple of little ears.

Repeat for remaining cupcakes.

Tea Mail (Oct 28)

 

 

Spicy Cranberry Warmer

 

Ingredients

3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole allspice
4 cups apple cider
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups cranberry juice
Additional cinnamon sticks, optional

Directions

1. Place first three ingredients in a double thickness of cheesecloth.

2. Bring up corners of cloth and tie with a string.

3. Place with cider in a large saucepan. (Or, if desired, place loose spices in saucepan and strain before serving.)

4. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

5. Stir in sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add cranberry juice and heat to simmering temperature.

7. Serve hot in mugs.

8. Garnish with cinnamon sticks if desired.

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Mulled Cider

Ingredients

10 cups (2 1/2 qts) apple cider
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 strips orange peel, removed with a vegetable peeler
Garnish: orange slices and cinnamon sticks

Directions

1.  Bring cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel to a boil in a large pot over medium heat.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 25 to 35 minutes.

2.  Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a plain white paper towel. Set strainer over a large clean saucepan; strain cider mixture into pan. Ladle into mugs. (May be refrigerated up to 2 days, then reheated.)

Big Easy Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup butter
3 square unsweetened chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat.

3. Stir in sugar and eggs and mix well.

4. Add sifted flour and baking powder and stir.

5. Stir in vanilla and nuts.

6. Pour batter into greased and floured 9-by-13-inch baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Ava's Juju Voodoo Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup peanut butter (any kind)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix sugar and eggs together then add in peanut butter.

3. Form dough into 1" balls and press gently with a fork.

4. Bake on greased baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes.

Yields 1 dozen cooks that are so easy to make!

Carmela's Quick Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
1 cup onions (minced)
1 cup green pepper (diced)
6 Tbsp flour
4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups water
2 lbs. shrimp (peeled)

Directions

1.  Melt butter in heavy saucepan.

2.  Add onions and green pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

3.  Add flour and stir until well mixed.

4.  Add paprika, salt, pepper and water and simmer for 12 minutes.

5.  Add shrimp and simmer for another 15 minutes.

6.  Serve over fresh-cooked rice.

Tea Mail (Oct 14)