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Tamale Pie (Vegetarian)
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 8
When our kids were little we had a favorite tamale pie recipe that included meat. I developed this version when we were going through some tough financial times, and surprise! It became a family favorite. I nearly always doubled the recipe because left-overs never stayed around very long. I often cooked pinto beans (1/2 cup dry beans, cooked in the usual way and smunched with a potato masher) when even canned re-fried beans were a luxury. This is a frequenly requested recipe to this day. The cooking time doesn't reflect the time needed to cook the brown rice (or the dry beans if you use them).
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) can refried beans (vegetarian style)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
1 -2 garlic clove, crushed and diced fine
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (or 1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes (whirl in blender to break-up tomatoes)
1 cup whole kernel corn (frozen)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt, to taste
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil, add the brown rice and 1 teaspoons salt. Bring water back to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, put a lid on the pot and cook for 45-50 minutes or until done. (I usually cook the rice early in the day.).
2. In a large dutch-oven type pan, heat vegetable oil over med-high heat.
3. Add onion, garlic and green pepper to pan, stir and cook about 3 minutes or until veggies are tender-crisp.
4. Stir in tomatoes, cooked brown rice, beans, corn and seasonings.
5. Pour bean mixture into an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan. (Spray the pan with spray-release or grease the pan first.).
6. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
7. For corn-bread topping, in a medium bowl stir together the corn meal, water, flour, 2 T vegetable oil, baking powder and salt.
8. Pour corn-meal topping over the grated cheese.
9. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.
By RecipeOfHealth.com