Steak Tamales and Rice Bake

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients
4 El Monterey Tamales, thawed
4 cups cooked Mexican rice
2 cups enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar and jack cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Remove tamales from wrappers and set aside.
3. Greace an 13"x9" x 2" oven-proof casserole dish and spread rice evenly across bottom.
4. Place tamales in dish and evenly pour enchilada sauce over tamales.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 20-30
minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160º F.


Serving Suggestion:
Spoon rice and tamales onto individual plates and serve with fresh green salad. Garnish with your choice of guacamole, sour cream, black olives or chopped green onions.

Pine Nut Encrusted Shredded Steak

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 55 mins

Ingredients
4 El Monterey 6.5 oz. Shredded Beef Tamales, thawed
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. granulated garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups toasted pinenuts
(1) 18.6 oz. can cut sweetpotatoes
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Remove tamales from wrappers and set aside.
3. Pour flour, salt, pepper and garlic onto a plate and mix well. Set aside.
4. Break eggs into a wide bowl and whisk in milk until well blended and a little frothy.
5. Lightly pulse blend toasted pine nuts in a food processor, being careful not to over-blend.Leave nuts coarsely chopped. Place onto another large plate and set aside.
6. Line up from left to right: flour, egg mixture, and nuts.
7. Lightly coat tamale with seasoned flour.
8. Dip tamale into egg mixture, being mindful to completely cover tamale, then roll evenly in chopped nuts.
9. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat process for remaining tamales.
10. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature is 160º F. Serves 4.

Sauce:
1. Place remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer slowly over low heat. Be careful not to boil.


Serving suggestion:
Serve with seasonal vegetables such as summer squash, tomatoes and onions, or roasted winter squash. Garnish with fruit salsa, apple relish, or pomegranate seeds. Serve with fresh green salad.

Recipe Variation:
Try substituting walnuts or pecans for pine nuts.

Calabacitas & Rice Casserole

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients
1 Tbl. Olive oil
1 cup White Onion, sliced
2 cups Zucchini Squash, sliced
2 cups Yellow Squash, sliced
(1) 14.5oz. can Diced Mexican Tomatoes with Chiles, drained
2 cups Mexican Rice, cooked
2 cups Jack n Cheddar Mix Cheese

Directions
1. In a large skillet heat up olive oil.
2. Sauté onions until translucent then add squash and cook until tender.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are just about to simmer.
4. Take off heat and mix in cooked rice thoroughly.
5. Fold cheese into mix; spoon mix into greased soufflé or large coffee cups and bake until cheese is melted.
6. Invert onto serving plates hot and serve immediately.

Tamale Rice Bowl

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients
6 El Monterey Beef Tamales
6 cups Cooked Mexican Rice
3 cups Chile Con Carne
12 oz. Shredded Cheddar & Jack Mix
12 oz. Sour Cream
3 stalks Green Onions

Directions
1. Heat up El Monterey® Beef tamales according to the instructions on the package and hold.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat up on the stove top chile con carne; add water or stock to thin out if chile is too thick.
3. In a microwave proof bowl heat up Mexican rice in a microwave until done.
4. Carefully remove the husks from the tamales and chop them up into 3-4 pieces each.
5. Spoon one cup of hot rice into service bowl, place chopped tamale on top of rice, spoon hot chile over top of tamale and rice; garnish with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, olives, green onions

Beef Tamale Nachos

Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients
6 El Monterey Beef Tamales
1 lb. Pasteurized processed cheese
(1) 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and chilies
1 lb. Nacho corn chips (your favorite)
1 cup diced fresh tomato
1 cup diced fresh green onions
1 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1. Heat up El Monterey tamales according to instructions on package, remove tamales from package after hot and slice each tamale into 4 slices, keep warm and set aside for assembly.
2. Combine cheese and canned tomatoes and chilies in a microwave proof bowl and heat for 9 minutes or until cheese is melted and mix up well; keep warm and set aside for assembly.

Assembly:
1. On a large platter spread out a single layer of corn chips, pour 1/3 of the cheese sauce over chips, evenly distribute 2 sliced tamales over chips and cheese, along with a third of the tomatoes, green onions, and olives.
2. Repeat layering process for two more layers and finish nachos in a 375ºF oven for 2 minutes or just enough to heat up cheese and tamales, careful not to toast the nacho chips too much. Serve hot and immediately.

Tamales Over Southwestern Cream of Tomato Soup

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients
4 El Monterey Tamales
1 cup Your Favorite canned Red Chile Sauce
26 oz. can Tomato Soup (condensed)
(1) 12 oz. can Evaporated milk (Or substitute 1 1/2 cup of cream or half-and-half)
24 oz. bag Frozen vegetables (corn, onion, red pepper, green pepper)
10 oz. pkg. Frozen spinach
to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Cotija cheese freshly crumbled (optional)

Directions
1. Heat up El Monterey Tamales according to package instructions and keep warm. You may also use any of our Burritos or Chimichangas.
2. Mix and heat up the red chile sauce and tomato soup, and milk or cream in a saucepot, simmer for 5 minutes or until all the flavors have blended, adjust flavor with salt & pepper; keep warm on a back burner.
3. In a separate skillet on medium high heat, add vegetables and spinach to 1/4 cup water or chicken broth. Heat up. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until vegetables are tender and hot, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Using a slotted serving spoon evenly portion the vegetables in large wide soup bowls mounding the vegetables in the middle of the bowl as high as possible.
5. Ladle about 1 1/2 cup hot soup into bowls around the bottom of the bowl next to the vegetables; try not to cover the vegetables too much.
6. Unwrap and lay hot El Monterey Tamales flat over the top of the vegetables, garnished with crumbled Cotija cheese and sliced green onions, if desired. You may also substitute Feta cheese for the Cotija.