Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie


I was introduced to my Granny's tamale pie for the first time in 2007. The thing I enjoyed about it the most was that the recipe can be changed, rearranged and altered to your liking.

Granny makes it with these ingredients:
-Ground Turkey
-Frito Lay chips
-Cheese
-Olives
-Tomatoes

I know you smell a remix coming on! You can take the beef or turkey meat out all together and replace it with tons of mushrooms or a pound of zucchini and squash. This is what I call Layers Gone Wild! Just layer whatever you like, bake it and taste it!! I know this may sound crazy but try a meat lovers version of the Tamale Pie. Throw all your favorite meats in there, layer it up and go for it. I'm talking beef, sausage, bacon, ham and cheese! Sounds crazy but I guarantee it'll be good.

My Ingredients & My Instructions:
-Ground Turkey
-Low sodium taco seasoning
-Onion
-Corn
-Black beans
-Olives
-Tomatoes
-Frito Lay chips
-Cheese
-Sour Cream

Step 1:
cook ground turkey and onions until brown and done. Add one taco seasoning pack and water (measurements are on the back of the packet).

Step 2:Add corn, drained black beans, drained olives and a can of tomatoes into ground turkey.

Step 3:Crush up a large bag of Frito's into a dish, (I use low sodium Frito's). Add entire mixture in skillet on top of the crushed Frito's. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or jack cheese on top

Step 4:Place in oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes (or until cheese is fully melted. Serve it up with sour cream and get ready to say Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!

Enjoy!

Apples and Vanilla Bean!

Yes this is a real picture taken from my phone of my dessert for the evening. Very simple warm apples, oats and brown sugar over vanilla bean ice cream! Yea-yeeeer!

Tasty Breakfast Reviews

I absolutely love going to neighborhood restaurants, hole in the walls and joints that are in the cut and ohhh sooo delicious! Big Girl Inside supports ALL great eateries with great food, cooks and great atmospheres. This is why I find good eats and write about it. If it's good I'ma tell you about it. So if you catch me at the local restaurant taking pictures of my plate or your plate, don't be alarmed... The 2 locations I'm covering today are More Than Waffles and The Coffee Cup Cafe. 
I graded them on my Big Girl Inside Scale:  
B - Big - The food was pretty good
B.G - Big Girl - The food was really good and I'd consider coming back
B.G.I - Big Girl Inside - The food was amazing and I'm definitely going back

place - More Than Waffles
location - Encino, CA
My verdict: B.G.I

Since breakfast is my absolute favorite meal time, one of the things I love to do is try delicious breakfast that my taste buds haven't experienced yet. While I was on my breakfast hunt a few days ago, google introduced me to a place called More Than Waffles and by the sound of it I knew our first date would be love at first site.

I drove up to a shopping plaza but I couldn't find it at first. After further investigation I found out they're located in the back, aka in the cut, of the plaza. When i arrived to my destination I immediately saw waiters with plates of goodness passing right in front of me and I knew this was a match made in breakfast heaven!

I ordered the KatieWich - (egg white sandwich, tomatoes, mozzarella, turkey bacon, on 9-grain bread, served with home fries).

Before I tell you how good it was, let me just tell you how stacked and fat it was. We all know sometimes breakfast sandwiches consist of 2 sorry pieces of bacon, a lifeless egg and a slice of half melted cheese. This sandwich was quite the opposite. My friend had the Popeye omelette and it was stuffed with so much spinach and mushrooms you could taste it in every bite. 


place - Coffee Cup Cafe
location - Long Beach, CA
My verdict: B.G

Yesterday morning I met with a good friend of mine and we, of course, wanted to try a place we've never been to. So, we come across the Coffee Cup Cafe and according to review sites like Yelp.com, it had excellent reviews. When we pulled up I notice the neighborhood had an artsy feel to it. I found out they call this the East Village Art District; ok that explains it. We walked in and of course I immediately scoped out the dishes on everyone's table and I liked what I saw. 


I ordered Kyle's Cajun Scramble (3 eggs with Louisiana hot sausage, onions, bell peppers & cheese) with a side of Home Style Potatoes and an English Muffin. Let me just say that my scramble was fireworks in my mouth. My friend on the other hand, said her food was pretty good. She ordered a spinach and mushroom omelette.

I definitely see myself going back. It seems you just have to try different things on the menu until you find that thing that makes you go Mmmmmmm! I found mine, I hit a home run the first time out! 

Well, that's all folks! Thank you to my fellow Big Girls Inside & Big Boys Inside. Keep emailing me at biggirlinside@gmail.com and tweeting me at @BIG_GIRL_INSIDE with new places to eat and recipes to try.

If it's good... I'm eating it ;-)

Breakfast of Champions!

My breakfast this morning: old fashion oatmeal with brown sugar and cut up bananas! You can't go wrong with a breakfast like this. You can remix it any way you like and add any type of fruit you like. You can even sprinkle some cinnamon and fresh apples on there. Oooooo now we talkin'!!! Let's eat!

More than a Sandwich

What is more satisfying than a sandwich?... While some of you go through the sarcastic rolodex in your mind, I'ma keep talking about sandwiches!

A sandwich is one of those things that your mouth waters for and as it waters you develop this expectation for it to be beyond delicious. When your sandwich experience ends up being less than acceptable, you're pissed! Yes I'm talking from experience and let's face it, you've experienced it too! There's nothing worse than walking into a Subway, standing in the sandwich assembly line and construction your sandwich in your head before it's your turn only to have the sandwich professional apply exactly 6 pickles, 7 olives and 4 bell peppers on your folded meat. Now you're in a predicament; you've got to ask for more of everything and hope the Subway lady doesn't get an attitude because that will result in you getting an attitude and ultimately ruining your sandwich experience. Whew!

Some may be asking "What makes a sandwich a good sandwich?" Well funny you ask because I have the answer. I'm no food expert, I just know that I like what I like! So Foodies of the world unite and let's talk sandwiches.

First and foremost I want to give a massive "Mmmmm Mmmmm" to Mike's Deli on Slauson Ave. in Los Angeles, California. They make some of the most appetizing sandwiches on the west coast. No it's not smeared with a fancy pesto or an expensive Italian cheese, but the satisfying simplicity of Mike's Deli is divine!

TBLT (Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado club sandwich from Mike's Deli)

A great sandwich MUST have:

Bread - great bread is the foundation of the sandwich. Whether you like wheat, rye, white, sourdough, Italian roll or another type of bread - just make sure it's fresh. It has to be thick and strong enough, depending on your preference, to hold the ingredients. There's nothing worse than small soggy bread that gets knocked out in the first round!

Meat - I prefer thin to medium sliced meat for my sandwich, but it's really up to you and your taste buds. My advice for sandwich meat is simple - PILE IT ON! Also, mix it up, live a little and try different types of meat. My favorite is turkey, but I will tear up some good pastrami, roast beef or ham.

Now comes the good part. After you have the bread and the meat to match, start loading on all of your favs. I usually decide my ingredients based on the type of meat I'm using. For example, if I'm eating pastrami, I only need two things; mustard and pickles.

Oh and anyone who knows me knows that I will add bacon to a dish in a heartbeat. Hey, I enjoy my bacon, don't judge me.

If you have a favorite sandwich spot or a favorite recipe that you think I should try, please comment, tweet me @BIG_GIRL_INSIDE, or email me at biggirlinside@gmail.com

So until next time, you know where you can find me - where the GOOD food is ;-)