T Day

The Reyes family is coming from Jamul, California. They are plain eaters and we will make them happy but I need a little zing, thus the tamal azteca.

Sharon is making corn pudding and green beans, and mashed potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes. I think we will also see chocolate pudding, lemon meringue pie, maybe another pie.

I am brining the turkey in a maple bourbon brine. But rather than smoking the turkey it will be conventionally cooked, though in our gas grill.

 

Tamal Azteca

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours

Yield: 8 servings+

Sauce:

1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes, undrained - I used two cans.

1 can (4 ounces) roasted green chilies, undrained, chopped - I added a can of chilis in adobo

1/2 tablespoon canola or corn oil

1 small white onion, finely chopped, 1 cup - two small onions

1 clove garlic, minced - whole head of garlic, toasted

1 cup defatted chicken stock - 1 1/2 cups

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro - omitted

Casserole:

8 corn tortillas

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, thoroughly drained

8 ounces fat-reduced Monterey jack, grated, 2 cups

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. For sauce, combine tomatoes and chilies in a blender and make a coarse puree. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned. Increase heat to medium-high, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomato and chili mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Add stock, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in salt, remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Makes 4 cups.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tortillas out on 2 baking sheets sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating. Lightly spray tops of tortillas and place them in heated oven 10 minutes. Turn over and bake 3 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside, leaving oven on.

3. Steam diced zucchini until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from steamer and set aside.

4. To assemble casserole, lightly spray an 11- by 7-inch baking dish with non-stick vegetable oil coating. Spread a thin layer of sauce evenly over bottom. Cover sauce with two of the toasted tortillas. Evenly spread the chopped spinach on top of the tortillas. Top with 1/4 of remaining sauce and 1/4 the cheese. Place two more tortillas on top and press down. Spread the corn on top, cover with 1/3 of remaining sauce and 1/3 of remaining cheese. Top with two more tortillas, again pressing down. Top with zucchini, 1/2 of remaining sauce and 1/2 the cheese. Top with the two remaining tortillas and press down. Spread remaining sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle on remaining cheese.

Colby’s Cranberry Sauce

2 12oz packages of fresh cranberries 

1 cup sugar 

2 cups orange juice

zest of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

salt

In medium saucepan dissolve sugar in orange juice. Bring to boil, add lemon zest, allspice, ginger. Add rinsed cranberries, return to boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Taste. Add salt if desired. Pour into serving dish and let set.