Vegetarian Tamale Pie

I haven't had tamale pie in years. My mom used to make it when I was a kid. When I started this vegetarian kick I didn't want to just eat vegetables, especially salad. I always enjoyed this dish and I'm not sure why I didn't think to make it until now, but it turned out great. Mom used Fritos but I went for blue corn tortilla chips instead. Next time I think I'll stick with the corn chips because the baked chips I used got soggy. Feel free to add anything you like to the pie. I added poblano pepper which mom never did and I wanted to add zucchini but it went bad before I got to it. Anywho, without further ado, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 12oz package Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef (or any brand you choose)
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can petite diced, undrained
2 cups frozen corn
1 medium poblano
1 medium red onion
5 oz blue corn tortilla chips or corn chips
2 cups shredded cheese

Toppings

Sour cream
Salsa
Green onion, sliced

Directions

1. Sauté the onions
2. Add the beans, tomatoes, poblano, and corn
3. Cook until corn is done, then remove from heat
4. Layer the chips in a baking dish
5. Pour mixture over chips
6. Top with cheese
7. Bake til golden and bubbly
8. Add your favorite toppings

Vegetarian Empanadas

Everyone has their own version of a meat and bread combination: hamburgers, beef patties, samosas, sambusas, pork buns, empanadas and so on. My favorite would have to be the latter. Whether they're Colombian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Peruvian, empanadas are the best hand pies around. They can be filled with beef, pork, or chicken along with olives, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cheese, raisins, or egg. This time I used soy chorizo for mine and while you can make your own dough I choose to use Goya, or any brand that's on sale, discos (they're located in the freezer section of most grocery stores). Here's my vegetarian version:

Ingredients

1 package soy chorizo (I like Cacique)
1 15oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium red onion
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 package (10) Goya discos, unthawed

Preparation

Sauté the onions
Add chorizo and tomatoes
Cook until the tomato juice is evaporated
Add cilantro, stir, and remove from heat
Allow to cool
Fill discos and close with a fork
Brush with melted butter or egg wash to help brown (optional)
Bake on a greased baking sheeting until golden brown

Taco Tuesday: Chik'n Tacos

Ingredients

1 cup Quorn Chik'n Tenders

1 small red onion, sliced

2 tbsp Mojo Criollo

2 sprinkles of Adobo

4-6 corn tortillas

Toppings

4 tbsp salsa or taco sauce

3-4 tbsp light or fat free sour cream

1 cup shredded lettuce or cabbage

1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheese

Chopped green onion

Sweet Potato Hash

What you need:

Sweet potatoes, cubbed
Red potatoes, cubbed
Red onions, diced
Smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Salt
Egg (optional)
Kale or spinach (optional)

What to do with it:

Drizzle oil in a pan.
Toss in the potatoes and onions.
Liberally season the potatoes.
Cook until tender with a golden crust.
Serve with eggs (over easy is great) and wheat toast or an English muffin.