Carrot Cake, Tamales and Savoury Empanadas

[a_boleyn]

My freezer/pantry clear out has taken a serious turn and I can finally see the bottom of the upstairs freezer. And there are darned few things left in there so I've had to be creative.

Even the carrot cake was partially made with a freezer item, the last of a bag of walnuts from Costco. I DID have to buy a can of crushed pineapple though. And,

Comments

[spikesgirl58]

You are really inventive and everything looks good. Even the tamales, which I don't normally care for looked yummy.

[a_boleyn]

Thank you. Why don't you like tamales? I'm curious.

[spikesgirl58]

Don't like the corn meal part of it. I've had them in restaurants, in homes and even by our box office manager (she's Mexican). Just don't care for the flavor of them.

[a_boleyn]

I had heard about them for ages and when I finally got to taste tamales in a Mexican restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina, they were bland and tasteless. Very little filling, mostly a gluey corn meal 'thing'. But then I had one in town from a Mexican grocery store where the owner's mom makes tamales, etc and sends them to the store to be sold as part of a take out meal and they were actually GOOD.

I flavour my masa mixture with stock (chicken or pork) and it's really tasty.

I wondered if it might be a texture issue when I posted my question. Oh well ... you can't like everything. :)

[edgeofthewoods]

Wow, super impressive tamales... I have some in the freezer and I made refried black beans yesterday to have with the tamales later on this week. I bought them from the store, but I'd like to try making my own one day when I feel like investing the time into it.

The empanadas are a great idea! I bought some shortening to make pastry, maybe I should make some of these as well. They look like they would be handy snacks and quick bites!

[a_boleyn]

I spent more time making the filling than the tamales. Soaking the corn husks is an easy 30 minute break while you're doing other things. Though steaming takes a lot of time ( 1 1/2 -2 hrs) it's mostly unattended cooking time.

Empanadas ... I'm all about the hand held meat pies whether they're Jamaican beef patties, Cornish pasties or curried chicken puffs. :)

[edgeofthewoods]

I love handy meat pies like that too - and I have vegetarian chorizo and potatoes right now, so I think I will try making these this week!