Tamale Pie

I make a lot of mexicanny (obviously that isn't a word) type casseroles or if you're from MN like me, hot dishes. One of my favs is a mexican lasagna recipe that's from Rachael Ray found here. I add my own touch to it by putting in salsa and a few more spices than what the recipe calls for. I also use whole wheat tortillas. It's delicious and my husband loves LOVES it.

But today we're going to talk about Tamale Pie. The original recipe can be found on this awesome blog for those looking for some crockpot or gluten-free crockpot recipes. Here are the changes I made: I used ground pork and a couple links of cooked chorizo that I removed from the casings and diced. I added about 1/4 tsp of cayenne to the cornbread topping and smoked paprika (probably about a tablespoon - love smoked paprika) and some cayenne and coriander to the filling - probably about 2 tsp of each.

Overall, the recipe was great! It took about 5-6 hours to cook so maybe not a great option if you're going to be gone all day unless your crockpot has a timer. Mine sort of has a timer, but it's gives the option for 4 or 6 hours on high or 8 or 10 hours on low. Pretty sure that was one messy sentence, hopefully it makes sense. You could use ground chicken, turkey or beef or go meatless on the filling and it would be wonderful either way. Maybe a little cilantro would brighten the filling up a little too. It's kind a blank canvas so add the flavors you like best.

Next time I think I'll add some green chilies to the cornbread topping and maybe some cheese or just pepper jack cheese would be good. Either way, it's a great easy recipe and I love that it's made from things you can have on hand in the pantry and freezer.