A FEW HOT TAMALES!!

 Since we moved from

one of the meccas

of international cuisine - 

Southern California,

I have had to learn

to make many foods

than I enjoyed 

while living there.

One of my favorite

foods has always been Mexican

and there are a plethora

of Mexican restaurants in  

Southern California.

 Southwestern Virginia

has Taco Bell

and a a few
"American-Mexican" restuarants.

Truthfully,

they "don't make the grade".      

 I miss my Mexi-Cali food.

Tamales were always

one of our favorites and

when holidays rolled around,

I always called

Los Golondrinas.

Their green chili tamales,

chips and salsa

are second to none!!

Many traditional Mexican foods

are gluten free

if you use corn masa 

instead of flour.

Here's my try

at making tamales!!

 I decided that I was going

to make two flavors -

pork tamales and green chili.

I started out by cooking my pork

in the pressure cooker,

along with some salt,

pepper, crushed red pepper

and garlic, until it was fork tender.

Then I put my corn husk

in water to soak while

I roasted the Anaheim chilis.

I then mixed  

2 cups of tamale masa 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2/3 cup shortening

2 cups of water

After that I peeled the chilis

and sliced the

pepper jack cheese.

I was ready for assembly.

I first started trying 

to put the masa

on the corn husk 

by using a rice spatula,

then I tried a wet regular spatula.

Neither of them worked -

the masa dough

stuck to them both.

I had to resort to 

using my hands

and they worked great.

It was a slow process

but I put the dough

on the corn husk,

then the filling

and rolled

like a burrito 

or sushi

and tied with a 

piece of corn husk.

     

             

 They didn't come out perfect,

but I did try to make

the pork ones long

and the pepper ones square

so you could tell them apart.

Then I steamed them 

for one hour.

While they were cooking,

I decided to try and update

my chili rellenos recipe

and make it as gluten free

as I could -

I did fair but I did still 

mix a smidgen of beer 

in the batter.

     

 They didn't turn out as pretty

as they normally do -

and I don't serve sauce over them -

we like to eat them 

when they are nice and crunchy!!

   

 Refried beans and tortilla chips

are another gluten free food -

just check the labels.

 

And of course it wouldn't be

Mexican food without a good

bowl of salsa.

Who says gluten free

has no flavor?

Just ask my hubby -

he was quite impressed

with his gluten free dinner.

Ole'

Blessings to all who visit here,

Lynn