Quick Dinner: Chicken Tamale Pie

Funnily enough, I had all of the cupboard staples for this recipe. I also had some leftover rotisserie chicken and this recipe was a perfect use for it all. This is a great, hearty and healthy dinner that’s good for any fan of Mexican food. If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, use any cooked shredded chicken you want. This is a great dish for leftovers as well. If you have vegetarians, simply replace the chicken with some sautéed bell peppers. And if you can’t find creamed corn, you can always use a can of regular corn but be sure to add some milk to replace the moisture. Enjoy!

Ingredients

~2 cups cooked leftover chicken, shredded

1 package/can of ready Enchilada sauce

1 package Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 can creamed style corn

~1/2 cup sour cream or milk

1 large egg

~1 cup shredded cheese

1 small can 4.5oz can Green Chilies

~1 tsp ground coriander

~1 tsp ground cumin

~1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 can black beans

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

~2 tbsp garlic, chopped

~1 tsp ground cumin

bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the corn muffin mix, creamed corn, chilies, sour cream, egg, cumin/coriander and half the cheese. Spray a large casserole dish and add the mixture. Bake about 15 minutes until it starts to set. Meanwhile, chop the onion and garlic and heat with oil in a small saucepan. Add the cumin and can of black beans (do not drain). Simmer for about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. Shred the chicken and heat through with the enchilada sauce.

Once the corn mix has set, remove the dish from the oven. Using a fork, poke several holes all over. Spread the beans all over, leaving a border. Next layer with the chicken mixture. Finish by topping it off with the remaining cheese (enough to sprinkle all over). Bake for another 15-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the casserole is puffed up. Finish with some fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy!

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Healthy Superbowl Snacks

While I’m not a crazy football fan, as a foodie the superbowl is always a great excuse to pig out. However, in the past few months I’ve been trying to eat a healthier diet while allowing myself to still splurge a little. So last minute eats on the big game day included:

• Nacho cheese dip with jalapeno peppers (not healthy but Mom craved it)
• Corn and black bean salsa
• White corn tortilla chips (store bought but baked in the oven adds a little crisp)
• Orzo with feta, olives, zucchini and sausage
• Cuban pork with black beans and rice (courtesy of my aunt, Bac Oanh)

Don’t get me wrong – I was dying for some buffalo wings and potato skins! However, our snacks were equally satisfying. Click on the links above for the recipes. Unfortunately I haven’t asked Bac Oanh for her recipe of Cuban pork, but the other recipes are very simple and just something I threw together. You can eat the salsa with fajitas, tacos or burritos or even on top of some grilled chicken. My recipe doesn’t include avocado, but if you have some around throw it in! The orzo can be made with many variations. It can also be made with whole wheat penne too. Maybe add some spinach in as well. A good trick for using spinach (frozen or fresh) with pasta is to put it in the bottom of your colander and drain your cooked pasta over it. This way your spinach is defrosted or wilted and you can mix it all together easily. Add some toasted pine nuts for crunch!

Hope all of you who splurged on barbeque and creamy dips had some for me!

Ingredients for the salsa

Corn and black bean salsa - usually made with cherry tomatoes but didnt have any that day

Orzo with feta, olives, sundried tomatoes, zucchini, yellow bell pepper and spicy smoked sausage with jalapenos!

My aunt's Cuban-style pork!

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