One-pot casseroles have always been popular with cooks and their families as well. This dish is popular with children, either as is or making minor alterations. As is the case with most of these dishes, the basic recipe below is largely a method since it is easily changed using various substitutions.
Recipe Options
For example, the tamales could be swapped out with cooked sausage or chili. Turkey chili and low-fat cheese could be used for a healthier version. Most fat-free cheeses are not worth it. For a spicy dish, just add jalapeños or chili powder. Chopped green or red bell peppers would add color and nutrients without the heat. Minced garlic would be a tasty addition if everyone likes it.
Watch for a future article on recipe altering. Also, see article, “Using Herb Combinations,” for more tips on various seasonings.
Corn Tamale Casserole
- 1 can tamales
- 1 can whole kernel corn (low-sodium or natural if available)
- 1 can cream style corn (low-sodium or natural if available)
- ½ c chopped onion
- 1 medium egg
- Salt & pepper
- ½ to 1 c cheddar cheese
- Flour to thicken slightly
Directions:
- Remove paper wrapping from tamales and cut into bite-size pieces (half them length-wise and slice into about ½” pieces). Combine with both cans of corn and their juices.
- Beat egg lightly and add to corn mixture with onions and cheddar cheese. If using low-sodium corn, you might want to add about 1 tsp salt and about ½ tsp pepper, according to family tastes.
- Depending on how much juice is on corn and your family’s preference as to consistency, add about 2-4 tbsp flour.
- Bake about 45 minutes at 350 deg. Additional cheddar cheese and/or bread crumbs can be added to the top and allowed to melt before serving. Serves 4.
- If you use plain frozen for the whole-kernel corn, it would reduce the sodium, but you would need to adjust the flour accordingly due to less moisture.
Nutrition information from Sparkpeople, based on regular canned corn, ½ c cheese, ¼ c flour (may not need that much) and no added salt:
- Calories 453.6
- Total Fat 17.8 g
- Saturated Fat 5.5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 2.3 g
- Cholesterol 79.1 mg
- Sodium 1,132.6 mg
- Potassium 382.0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 58.6 g
- Dietary Fiber 6.8 g
- Sugars 0.0 g
Planned Leftovers
Leftovers only get better the next day. However, casserole will be slightly thicker the second time around so keep that in mind when you are adding flour. This cooked dish also freezes well so make two and freeze one for an easy weeknight dinner. If you freeze in individual portions, you can also take it for a convenient, inexpensive lunch.
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