Tamale Pie

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1.5 cups black beans (or one can, partially drained)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
1.5 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
3/4 cup water (or enough to make a thick soup)
salt to taste

Cornbread Crust:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cup soymilk or milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3-1/2 cup cheese (I used white cheddar)

Saute onion in oil for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and saute for 3-5 minutes more. Add tomato, and saute until juices are released (about 5 minutes). Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

While soup is simmering, make the cornbread crust. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the egg, then add the agave, milk, and oil, and beat together. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly moist.

Pour the soup into a 2 quart casserole dish (or a 9 x 13 cake pan). Sprinkle cheese on top of the soup. Place large spoonfuls of the batter over the soup, and after all the batter has been placed, spread it out, trying to connect all the spoonfuls together, spreading the batter as evenly as possible over the soup (it doesn't have to reach all the way to the edges). Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the "crust" clean.

Serve hot, with the soup spooned over large scoops of the bread.

Gallo Pinto

We discovered this dish when travelling in Costa Rica, and we have been trying to recreate it ever since. To make it truly authentic, we would need Lizano Sauce, which is expensive to buy in the USA (especially at the rate we eat Gallo Pinto). Instead I substitute with a mixture of worcestershire sauce and tamari. We also started adding tofu and veggies, which is not authentic by any means, but very tasty!

1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tomato, diced
2 Tbsp tamari
salt to taste
1 can kidney beans, partially drained (or red beans, which are more authentic)
1 zucchini
1 cup extra firm tofu, diced (optional)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 eggs, beaten
sour cream

Saute onion, red pepper, and garlic until soft. Add the worcestershire sauce, tomato, tamari, salt, and beans. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add zucchini and tofu and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in rice, and let cook together until all is warmed through.

In a frypan, scramble the eggs. Stir the scrambled eggs into the rice mixture.

Serve topped with sour cream, with fresh tomates on the side.

Baxter Enchiladas

Some of my earliest childhood memories included having enchiladas for dinner. I remember my mom telling me that this is how she was taught to make enchiladas while she stayed in Mexico one summer in the 60's. Instead of rolling the tortillas, you cook them in the sauce and then stack them like pancakes (and also top it with a fried egg, though we don't do this, but we think it would be good). The first time I had the more typical, rolled type of enchilada, I didn't know what it was, and I was surprised to hear it called an enchilada. When I went to college, this dish was labeled "Baxter Enchiladas" by my cousin and classmate Jeralee, and the name stuck. Later I adapted it to be vegetarian. I'm sure it will continue to get better and better with time. Here's the latest version:

One pot of vegetarian chili
15-20 corn tortillas
toppings of choice

Baxter Enchilidas are best assembled for each person, immediately before serving. Ask each person how many tortillas he/she wants. I usually go for 3 tortillas, and Mark will ask for 4-5, depending on his appetite.

With the pot of chili boiling away, put the first tortilla in the pot, being sure it is fully submersed. Add more tortillas, submersing each one as you go. Try to do this step quickly, so the tortillas are evenly cooked. Usually 4 is the maximum number that can be cooked together easily. Once all the tortillas are in the pot, let it cook for about 30 seconds.

Then, with a big, wide spoon, reach under the bottom tortilla and pick up the entire stack and set it on a plate. Spoon chili over the stack of tortillas, and top with desired toppings (cheese, green onion, sour cream, olives, avocado, etc.). Alternatively, take out each tortilla one at a time, and layer it with cheese and other toppings as you go.

With leftover chili and enchiladas, you can make what I call "enchilada goup." Heat the chili to boiling, and then tear up the remaining enchiladas into small to medium size pieces. Dump the enchilada pieces into the chili and stir. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from heat, and cover for 5 minutes. Top with desired toppings.

We seriously missed this dish when we were in France because we couldn't find the right kind of corn tortillas. It will always be one of my comfort foods!