spicy & savory tamale pie with polenta

my mom introduced me to this delicious Tex-Mexican standby. It's a great one to keep in your arsenal of easy recipes, as it's good on a warm spring or summer day, or even in the winter when you're looking for something spicy.  Basically, a dish for all seasons, as they say.  Plus, it's pretty much all the same ingredients as tacos, but it changes things up by using polenta rather than tacos.

Tamale Pie with Polenta
For filling:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 packet taco seasoning (I use spicy)
1 can of seasoned chili or pinto beans
1 (8 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes
1 cup salsa or enchilada sauce
1 cup grated cheese
For Polenta:

3 cups water

1 cup corn grits

1 tsp. salt

Begin by heating olive oil, add onion, garlic and pepper, saute and add ground turkey and taco seasoning.  Saute until turkey is cooked through.  Add can of chili or pinto beans and the can of mexican tomatoes.

In a separate pot make the polenta. Bring the salted water to a boil and slowly stir in polenta.  Stir for about 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Add more salt if needed.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x12 baking dish or pie pan.  Spread polenta in a thin layer on the bottom of the pan.  Cover with turkey and veggie filling.  Cover with salsa or enchilada sauce. Cover the entire mixture with cheese.  Bake for 15-25 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.  

mmm noodle soup

My mom makes this every year, on the day after Thanksgiving.  The same recipe can be used for leftover chicken as well. 

 

TURKEY NOODLE SOUP
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1/2-1 lb. turkey (or chicken), chopped or shredded
10 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
3-4 sage leaves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 package Reames Egg Noodles (in the frozen section of the grocery store)

Saute onion and garlic. Add carrots and celery and saute for another 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  Add meat, herbs, salt and pepper and stir. After cooking for a few minutes, add broth.  Bring to a boil at medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Add egg noodles and cook another ten minutes.  Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.