Casserole #1 - Fiesta Tamale Bake

 The Year of Casseroles

Casserole #1 - Fiesta Tamale Bake

    This recipe comes to us from 1988's Better Homes and Gardens - New Casserole Cook Book. The original recipe calls for canned tamales, which I know are maybe all that some people might be able to find. I however live in Texas, where fresh tamales are usually pretty easy to find. I decided to buy fresh. I liked the tamales and the meat sauce from the recipe. However, I liked them better separately than together. The meat sauce was really good; I decided to freeze the leftover sauce and will enjoy it with macaroni or rice.  I'm glad I made this recipe. The original recipe says four or five servings. While I didn't count how many servings, there was a lot of food. I am confident you could definitely serve at least six. 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb bulk pork sausage

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 cup onion, chopped (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

16 oz can tomatoes, chopped (or buy diced tomatoes); do not drain

6 oz tomato paste

1/4 cup sliced, pitted ripe olives (I didn't use these)

1 tbsp chili powder

15 oz canned pork or beef tamales (I used 6 fresh tamales)

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (I used my favorite cheddar jack)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet cook sausage, hamburger, onion and green pepper until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender. You could cook these separately if you like and then combine them. Drain grease from skillet. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, olives (if using) and chili powder. Pour meat mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Arrange the canned/fresh tamales on top of the meat mixture. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with cheese. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes. 

Fiesta Tamale Bake

Week 40 - Braised Celery and Tomatoes

 Braised Celery and Tomatoes

Week 40 of 52

Side Dish #6

    So, I never thought I'd be trying a dish like this, but I really liked it! This recipe comes from Vegetable Cookery, published in December 1966 by Extension Service Kansas State University of Manhattan, Kansas. I thought it was both tasty and healthy. I enjoyed this both as a side like it was intended and as a main dish, served over rice. Modifications/notes in italics. 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cups celery, cut in 1 inch lengths (I used 3 stalks of celery)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion salt (I used onion powder)

2 cups quartered, peeled tomatoes or 1 No. 2 (20 oz) can tomatoes, drained (I used about 5 or 6 nice Roma tomatoes)

Directions:

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add celery, salt, pepper and onion salt/powder. Stir, then cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the celery is tender, yet still a bit crisp and the tomatoes are hot.  

Braised Celery and Tomatoes

Week 13 - Big Bertha

 Big Bertha

Recipe 13 - 52 in 2022

Vegetarian Entree #2

    Big Bertha comes to us from the 1967 era, Favorite Recipes From Southern Kitchens - Casseroles.  The Big Bertha recipe was submitted for inclusion in this cookbook, by Mrs. Josephine Lunt of Clifton, Arizona. I'd love to know how she came by the name "Big Bertha". This vegetarian recipe was good. However, it is made with corn chips and if/when I make it again, I would swap that for macaroni. Macaroni would be great in this recipe. Of note in this recipe, it calls for a .39 cent package of corn chips and I um, don't know what size that is, so I got a 9 1/4 oz bag that was $3.00. The recipe also calls for 1 No. 2 can of tomatoes; not diced or stewed, just "tomatoes". I decided I'd buy diced, but I forgot to look at conversion for what size the No. 2 can is equal to. I used a large 28 oz can of diced tomatoes in tomato juice. It also called for 2 cans of chopped green chilies. I used two 7 oz cans of diced green chilies. 

    This recipe really doesn't have any seasoning besides salt and a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, so I would suggest that if you like more seasoning, try Italian, garlic, red pepper chili flakes, or even chipotle. There are so many options.  This recipe called for a 2-quart casserole dish and I have several 1 1/2 quart, but I couldn't find a 2-quart, so I used a giant 3-quart dish and I'm glad I did, because this recipe would have overflowed a 2-quart dish. According to the recipe, the yield is 6 servings. You definitely could get 6. Maybe 7 or 8 if you give smaller servings.  And finally, although it is a vegetarian entree, you could mix in up to a 1lb of browned ground beef.

    Serve with a salad and maybe cornbread or french bread.

    I like casseroles and I would make this again, just as I said, I'd like to try it with macaroni. Modifications will be in italics.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions, chopped (I used one pretty large onion)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)

1 No. 2 can tomatoes (I used a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, drained)

2 cans chopped green chilies (I used two 7oz cans)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 .39-cent package corn chips (I used a 9 1/4 oz bag of lower salt Fritos brand chips)

1 lb Longhorn cheese, grated (I used about 3/4 of a lb of my favorite Colby Jack cheese, shredded)

1/2 pint heavy cream (I forgot to buy the heavy cream, so I looked up emergency substitutions for heavy cream {1 tablespoon butter and 7/8 cup of milk})

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion and add to a heated skillet. "Glaze" onion (I cooked and stirred until they were soft and almost translucent).  Stir in your tomatoes, green chilies, salt and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Starting with the tomatoes, layer corn chips (or macaroni), tomatoes and cheese in a 3-quart casserole dish (greased/sprayed with cooking spray). Pop into your oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until browned on top. I baked mine for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool a bit before serving. Serve with a salad and bread or cornbread and extra seasonings if you'd like. 

Big Bertha

Big Ol' Beautiful Bertha

Tomatoes, Chili Peppers & Onion Layer

Corn Chips Layer