A Tamale Pie that you probably have all the ingredients for already
PLUS an ode to sizzles and my foray into green juice
Katie and I recently celebrated our two year anniversary with a bronchitis/sinus infection double whammy (again!). It’s the cherry on top of a year where practically everything has gone wrong in every single category except our relationship. I was hoping to celebrate sans snot-filled tissues together at the Langham for our annual high tea, but that wasn’t feasible. Low on energy, and with nothing sounding good takeout-wise, I happened upon a recipe that I imagine was something my Nonnie would’ve made my mom when she was a kid. It’s giving 1960s easy comfort food in the BEST way. And let me tell you: it delivers.
Do you have a box of Jiffy? A rotisserie chicken? Some canned enchilada black beans? You’re good to go.
Weeknight Tamale Pie
1 box of Jiffy
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
Frozen corn (optional)
Shredded rotisserie chicken
1 can Heyday Enchilada Black Beans (can substitute with can of enchilada sauce and can of rinsed black beans)
1/2 diced onion
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup broth (can substitute with a tbsp miso paste mixed with warm water)
Taco seasoning (or your seasonings of choice)
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 egg, and 3 tbsp melted butter until just combined. Fold in frozen corn.
Grease a 9 inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan). Pour in cornbread mixture. Bake until edges are golden and center is cooked through (12-15 min).
Meanwhile, chop your onion and grate your ginger. Sauté onion on med/high in 1-2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. When translucent and fragrant, add your garlic. After a minute or so, add your spices (taco seasoning or seasonings to your taste) to the pan. Bloom in the onion/garlic/oil mixture for another minute until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup broth, stirring and scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add shredded rotisserie chicken and a can of enchilada black beans (don’t rinse out the can!) to the skillet. Stir to combine. Turn down heat to a low simmer, stirring occasionally until cornbread is done.
Remove cornbread from the oven and poke many holes in the top with a fork. Empty the shredded chicken mixture on top (make sure you get all the juices in the pan, too).
OPTIONAL STEP: Pour 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar into the empty can of enchilada black beans. Swirl it around so that the leftover sauce that was clinging to the sides of the can gets incorporated into ACV. Empty the newly made mixture on top of shredded chicken mixture.
Top it off with a generous amount of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Bake until bubbling at the edges and cheese has some browned areas, about 20 min. Serve with another dollop of Greek yogurt, fresh avocado, and cilantro —or with nothing at all.
Do you Sizzle? If not, you really should.
What is Sizzle? A homemade pantry substitute for all things chili oil, chili crunch, or salsa macha.
What’s in a Sizzle? Any combination of dried spices, nuts, seeds, and alliums with hot neutral oil poured on top.
What do you Sizzle? Anything that needs a little heat and a little crunch! Pour on top of salad, soup, eggs, avocado, rice, SALMON (it’s really, really good on top of salmon) - the opportunities are ENDLESS.
Mary’s Most Requested Sizzle
Equal parts:
Chili powder
Cumin
Garlic powder
Powdered or fresh ginger
Turmeric
Pinches of:
Kosher salt
Black pepper
A whole bunch of:
Chopped raw unsalted cashews
Sesame seeds
Stir dried and fresh ingredients until combined in a high-heat proof ramekin or container. Heat up enough avocado oil to cover ingredients on low. Once hot, pour oil over ingredients. Enjoy with everything!
**PSA: You don’t need a juicer to juice**
This is mostly a PSA to myself as I’ve been scouring Facebook marketplace, HOPING for the deal of a lifetime on a Kuvings EVO820. While it’s definitely more effort, I’m getting great quality green juice out of using a Vitamix and a cheesecloth for straining. And honestly, the process of squeezing and wringing the pulp dry has been kind of therapeutic. Almost meditative? At least that’s what I’m telling myself so that I DON’T splurge on another countertop appliance I probably don’t need.
Some Tips:
Blend on low. Blending too high will heat up the ingredients and you don’t want that.
If you’re making a big batch, blend the bulky fruits first, then add your leafy greens at the end. This will make create room for all the greens without over-blending.
Use coconut water to add a little blending liquid as needed. It’s tasty!
Pour the blended mixture into a cheese-cloth lined strainer to make extra sure no gets through.
Happy cooking!
Love, Mary