AKICILJ

[serene]

At potlucks in the '70s and '80s, I always remember this thing called Tamale Pie. My mother never made it (seeing as how she hates anything made with cornmeal), but I loved it, and so did someotherguy. It had the definite feel of "women's magazine casserole that everyone makes roughly the same way", but I have NO idea how to recreate it. I think I'm getting closer, but I thought I'd ask my favorite brain trust. Nothing foofy or "reimagined", please -- trying to recreate a distinctly un-nouveau dish. :-)

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

If I recall correctly, my mom made it with ground beef, canned enchilada sauce, cheddar cheese (although she *might* have used Velveeta, but, hey, there are just some places I can't go :)), sliced black olives and topped with a sort of cornbread batter and baked until the bread bit is done and it's all bubbly.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Right, a lot like that. We're getting closer to the one we remember, but so far, it's just close. :-)

[eeyorerin]

My mom used Jiffy cornbread mix for the topping.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Do you remember if she made it according to the package directions and just poured it on top, or...?

[eeyorerin]

Gosh, I don't remember, but I can ask when I talk to her next (which should be soon). I think it was thinner than normal cornbread batter.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[loracs.livejournal.com]

My mom used Jiffy and I think she used a little less liquid than the direction and added a beaten egg. Does Jiffy directions say use an egg? If it does then she must have added an extra one. I know she was reducing the liquid to add the egg. She did use Velveeta, ground beef, can of diced tomatoes, onion (sometimes dehydrated), garlic powder, chili powder. She fried everything together except the corn bread and velveeta. Put the ground meat in a casserole dish, sprinkled sliced black olives over it, then slices of Velveeta and finally the cornbread batter. One time she put a diced dill pickle and some of the juice in the meat mixture. My dad and I were the only ones that like it.

We were eating an authentic Mexican meal or so we thought. Thank goodness Taco Bell arrived a few years later to give me the "real" experience! ;-)

[wcg.livejournal.com]

This (http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,168,159167-251197,00.html) looks familiar.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll give it a shot.

[wimsey70.livejournal.com]

I always check out Allrecipes.com when I'm looking for something. Here's their posted Tamale Pie recipes (http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=tamale%20pie).

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I am not having a hard time finding recipes. I'm kind of hoping for someone who remembers the thing I'm talking about to send me the recipe they know of from that time.

[jmkelly.livejournal.com]

I vividly remember it, but I was under twelve and didn't keep track of the recipe -- don't even remember whether ground beef was involved, but it probably was. It's very close to Tennessee corn pone, which is cornbread cooked on top of a panful of spicy cooked beans. If you know how to make cornbread and how to make a nice lively batch of beans (pinto or maybe black), you can make either TCP or tamale pie. You could add some browned meat to the beans, or even cheat and substitute canned chili con carne.

[hnybny.livejournal.com]

Jiffy recipe:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1626,157165-254198,00.html

Older vegetarian version:
http://spicyenchilada.blogspot.com/2008/06/moms-tamale-pie-non-authentic-style.html

From Retro Pies:
http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/article/138/19244

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Oh! Also she used a can of corn kernels and some onion!

That's right

[loracs.livejournal.com]

I forgot about the corn, my mom added a can of the Fiesta Corn with bits of red pepper. Ole!

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

My mom used a boxed mix called "Tamale Pie". I think we just added hamburger and maybe onions. It included the cornmeal topping and tomato sauce. It was kind of like a hamburger helper mix, but in casserole form.

[pogodragon.livejournal.com]

If you haven't got what you want yet it might be worth poking at the Vintage Recipes community on here.

[sistercoyote.livejournal.com]

If no one else has provided, I can ask my mother for her Tamale Pie recipe.

tamale pie

[jinian.livejournal.com]

My family recipe goes:

1 lb ground meat
1/4 c chopped onion
1 t garlic powder
1 t ground cumin
1 4-oz can diced green chiles
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1/2 c diced green peppers (omitted if I whined enough)
2 t hot chili powder
1 t salt
1/2 c cornmeal
water
grated cheddar cheese

In heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients except cornmeal and water. Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or til thickened. Stir in cornmeal. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, adding water to keep at a stirrable consistency. Top with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.