FAMOUS FAMILY RECIPES SERIES
RECIPE #34 TAMALE PIE
Sister Christine Bland and family were our neighbors and friends while I was growing up. The Bland family went to the same church my family attended. Sister Bland worked for years in a commercial bread bakery and then in a public school cafeteria. She learned this recipe at the school and passed it along to my mother (unfortunately).
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 Bell Pepper, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 14.5-ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 small can Sliced ripe olives
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sauté the onion, Bell Pepper and garlic in the oil until just tender.
Crumble the ground beef into the skillet and brown.
Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and chili powder.
Cook over low-to-medium heat for about 20 minutes.
While the meat mixture is simmering, bring 3 cups of the water to a boil.
Slowly pour the corn meal into the remaining 1-cup of cold water, stirring until smooth.
Add the salt and chili powder to the boiling water, and then, stirring constantly, add the cold corn meal mixture to the boiling water.
Cook and stir for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and cover.
Spray a casserole or baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
Using half of the cornmeal mixture, line the dish.
Fill with the meat mixture.
Sprinkle sliced ripe olives over the top.
Using the remaining half of the cornmeal mixture, cover the top of the pie.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.
It does not pair well with anything. My advice: just don’t make this stuff. It is like another cafeteria recipe Sister Bland gave my mother: Green Jell-O with shredded Carrots and Raisins in it. Come on…now…what? These recipes did not go over big at our house while I was growing up or to this day.
I should not have shared this recipe with anyone.
“I have food to eat that you do not know about.” Jesus