Southwestern Recipe Week Continues. . .

My youngest nephew graduated from college last year and got his first paying job shortly afterwards. He seems to be working at a very nice place. They had a pot luck lunch last week and convinced him to make something. He was concerned because he doesn't really cook. They gave him a list of ingredients that he went out and bought and then they dumped it all into a crock pot for 4 hours. He wound up winning an award for "best dip". Amazing! I don't think he'll be shy about making something for a pot luck in the future. Here is his award winning recipe:

Queso Con Chorizo Dip

2 jars of salsa (mild)
2-3 tablespoons chili sauce
16 oz cream cheese (he used chives & onion flavor)
8 oz sour cream
1 package Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage Patties (precooked & crumbled)
8 oz shredded cheddar
1 jar bacon bits (he said lots)
1 can light kidney beans (optional)
1 green pepper chopped (optional)

Put all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for at least 4 hours. Serve with tortilla chips or scoops.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook & Son

The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

I tried making these cakes thinking they would be great for the Wining Woman event. I didn't realize that they only make 4 cakes. I could have increased the recipe or used an idea I saw on another website where someone used a pampered chef scoop and made balls out of them. Of course, this would definitely make a better appetizer since it makes about 20 balls. You can try it either way. I used store bought Salsa Verde and Tomato Salsa. These are the appetizer that my nephew and his wife order every time we go to Cheesecake Factory. They really are yummy. I read where someone who had worked at Cheesecake Factory looked at the recipe and said it was the exact recipe but that the original recipe I found had the corn cakes being cooked in the oven but they should be made on the stovetop in a skillet. All I know is that they are really yummy~


The Cheesecake Factory Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

By Todd Wilbur

Ingredients

Salsa Verde

2 tomatillos, chopped (remove papery skin)
1 4 oz can mild green chilies
1 green onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1-1/4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch ground black pepper

Southwestern Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon water
3/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch onion powder
dash salt
dash garlic powder

Tomato Salsa

1 medium tomato
1 tablespoon minced Spanish onion
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 small fresh jalapeño, minced
dash salt
dash ground black pepper

Cakes

1-1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup corn masa (corn flour)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Garnish

1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Prepare salsa verde by combining all ingredients (tomatillos, green chilies, green onion, cilantro, sugar, cumin, salt, and pepper) in a food processor on high speed. Cover and chill.

Prepare tomato salsa by combining all ingredients (diced tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Prepare southwestern sauce by combining all ingredients (mayonnaise, vinegar, water, sugar, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, salt, and garlic powder) in a small bowl. Cover and chill.

Prepare the tamale cakes by chopping 1 cup of the frozen corn in a food processor until it's coarsely pureed. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well with electric mixer until smooth. Add masa and flour and blend well. Mix in the remaining ½ cup of frozen corn kernels by hand. Measure 1/2 cup portions of the mixture and form it into 3" wide patties with your hands. Arrange the patties on a skillet and cook on low-med heat like you would pancakes until very golden brown. Carefully flip all cakes with a spatula and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until other side is browned.

While the cakes are baking, spoon a portion of the salsa verde onto a plate or platter (you may want to heat up your plate in the oven for a bit to help warm the sauce). You'll need to use enough salsa verde to coat the entire plate -- it should be about 1/4" deep. Arrange the tamale cakes side-by-side on the salsa verde. Spoon a dollop of sour cream onto each tamale cake. Drizzle the southwestern sauce over the cakes in a crisscross patter (use a squirt bottle if you've got one). Spoon some tomato salsa over the cakes, followed by the chopped avocado. Finish off the plate by sprinkling the coarsely chopped cilantro leaves over the top. Serves 4.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook