The Great Midwestern Tamale Pie

A hoy-hoy and welcome back!!!! I am very excited about today’s post as I am sharing another family recipe. This one is from my Grandma Daugherty, my mom’s mom. Now, I must tell you, according to my mother, my grandmother was a very intelligent woman, however, she struggled in the realm of the kitchen. LOL. But, this is one of the meals that both my mother and I have grown up eating. When I make this for myself and The Husband, we both get pretty excited. Now. I need you to remember that this recipe is from the 50s or 60s, therefore, it is NOT authentic Mexican cuisine. It is a canned goods recipe with ground beef thrown in for good measure. LOL. The tamales are canned. So. There’s that. HOWEVER!!! Do not leave me! This is a hearty, cozy meal that sticks with you throughout the day. And it is a meal that embraces nostalgia and summons the soul of my grandmother (hopefully) into my kitchen and dinner table. 

That being said, I should remind you that I am from the Midwest and we love salads and casseroles, baby. Salads that aren’t salads and casseroles. So. Many. Casseroles. LOL. Today’s dish is such a casserole. It is simple and straightforward to put together, heats relatively quickly, and is just a delight to eat, especially on cold day. So come with me down a shoveled out path to the land of The Great Midwestern Tamale Pie Casserole!! (Please read this like an announcer at a WWE event, thank you). 

The Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion

1 can diced tomatoes 

1 can tomato soup

1 can chili with no beans

1 can cream styled corn

2 cans tamales 

1 package cheddar cheese – I like sharp cheddar cheese

Note about the canned tamales. When The Husband and I were getting married, he canvased our mothers and friends and get all of their favorite recipes together. He put them all in a wooden recipe box we had made for me. Funny thing about this recipe though, is that both he and my mother forgot to include the canned tamales. You know, the tamales in the Tamale Pie. LOL. For the past 18 years, we forget the canned tamales every time, and someone has to run to the store. Every year I say, I need to add them to the recipe card, and, every time I do not.  How could I forget the TAMALES in the TAMALE pie recipe?!!! Finally, this year, I wrote the darn canned tamales, because I forgot, again. ANYHOO, so don’t forget the canned tamales. The original recipe called for one can. I like more tamales in my Tamale Pie, so I add two cans. 

The Process

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1: Open all 6 cans before you get started. This will help you save time and some grief when you are in the middle of everything and have to stop to slowly, oh so slowly open all six cans. LOL. 

Step 2: Chop the onion and place in a Dutch oven or cast iron with olive oil and butter. Cook until tender. Then add and brown the ground beef. Drain. 

Step 3: Place onion/beef mixture back into your cooking vessel. Add all of the canned goods and stir. For the tamales, they do have paper wrapped around them. Take those off and cut the tamales into bite sized pieces. Gently mix to combine. 

Step 4: Place this mixture into a greased 9×13 inch dish. Place, uncovered, in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

Step 5: After 30 minutes, take of oven and put the cheese over the top of the casserole. Place this back into the oven for another 30 minutes, uncovered. 

Step 6: After the second 30 minutes, the casserole should be bubbly with melty cheese. Take and let set up for 15-20 minutes. Service with a salad (a real salad, with Ranch dressing). LOL

NOTE: Similar to chili, the longer this sits in the fridge, the better it gets. So if you want to make this a day ahead, and then re-heat the next day, the flavors will be richer and more complex. 

Toppings: Funny enough, we have never topped this with anything. But you could top this with anything you like, really: salsa, sour cream, green onions, fresh tomatoes, Frito chips, ect. Let me know if you do and how it tastes! 

In Conclusion

I do not have very many memories of my Grandma Daughterly. A couple of vague almost dream-like memories of her smile and giving me her Jell-O in the hospital. However, every time I make this dish, I reminded of her and remember the stories my mom told me about her. Funny how a recipe can do that? Bridge the barrier of death for one savory taste and smell as it bubbles and bakes in your oven. 

I hope each and every one of has a recipe like this. And if you do not, guess what? YOU can be the person to pass down the family recipe and memories. Well, I hope you enjoyed this small post on a dish that has always been with me and now my family. I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as my family has! Until next time!!!