Tamale Pie – Crock Pot Style

Some new things are going on around here. I was working part time as a project manager AND selling real estate at the same time. Juggling those 2 balls got to be a little nuts, so I left my project management job and am now All Real Estate, All The Time! Woowoo. It’s a bit scary to leave the nice paycheck every two weeks for the job that only pays when you get a house closed, but I am confident I can make some magic happen!

We all love those easy go to recipes that the family loves. This one is definitely asked for consistently around my house. So what better way to make it then throwing it into the Crock-Pot and letting it cook on it’s own for a few hours? Below is my recipe for this classic.

Farmgirl Tamale Pie
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1 lb ground turkey
1 lg onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups corn, frozen or fresh
3/4 cup sliced olives
3 tbsp taco seasoning (recipe below)
1 can black beans, drained
1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp salt
3/4 cup corn meal
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cheddar cheese
sour cream, avocado, cilantro – or any of your other favorite toppings.
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instructions:
1) in a medium sized skillet, saute the onion and garlic over medium-high heat until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the ground turkey and saute until cooked through. Add the taco seasoning, beans, olives, corn, tomatoes and salt. Stir to incorporate. Add to the crock pot.

2) mix together the cornmeal, milk and egg and pour over the meat mixture.

3) cook in the Crock Pot for 3-4 hours. In the last 5 minutes, add the cheddar cheese and cook until melted. Serve with your favorite garnishes.

Serves 4-6

Taco Seasoning – no need to buy the premade stuff, when you can whip this up in no time flat and there are no preservatives!!!

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

instructions:

1) mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.