Stuffed Poblano Peppers

It's been awhile since I've blogged and I'm missing it. Surgery in the family and then an awful bout of bronchitis has delayed my writing aspirations. But here's a couple of great recipes to end your day off right.

I've become famous of this appetizer called Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes. They're a spinoff of the Cheesecake Factory's appetizer but I've given it a Finnegan flair :) My recipe is gluten free and much smaller than the original. I just switch the flour for rice flour and make them bite size. The original recipe is below.

The other recipe I tried tonight is Stuffed Poblano Peppers. I'm guessing they're about 300 calories apiece but don't quote me on it. They are fried. Next time, I may bake them and see if that works. They were time consuming and a bit frustrating as I could not get them to stay together. I finally used toothpicks to keep the filling from falling out. But they were delish! My family loved them. And aren't they pretty!

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

1 1/2 cups frozen white corn

1/2 cup butter

3 T sugar

1 pinch salt

1/2 masa harina corn flour

2 T white flour (I use rice instead)

For Garnish

Chopped Avocado

Salsa

Cilantro

Sour Cream

1. Chop 1 cup of defrosted white corn in a food processor until coarsely chopped.

2. Combine pureed corn with softened butter, sugar, and salt. Blend well

3. Add masa, flour, and rest of corn and blend well.

4. Shape into 2 inch patties and arrange on baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Flip over and bake another 3 or 4 minutes.

5. Top with toppings and serve warm.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

10 poblano peppers

1 bottle salsa verde

1 lb shredded colby jack cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

2 cups flour, divided

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup dry Jiffy cornbread mix

1. Roast poblano peppers under broiler for 10- 15 minutes until charred and blistered. Remove from heat and soak in cold water. Peel skins with a paring knife or your fingernail. Slit one side from top to bottom

2. Combine salsa verde, cheese, onion, and red bell pepper. Stuff poblano peppers with filling (I needed to use toothpicks here to keep filling inside).

3. Heat several inches of oil in large skillet. In one bowl, place 1 cup flour. In second bowl, combine eggs and milk. In a third bowl, place jiffy mix. Dip peppers in flour. Roll or brush on egg mixture and dip in jiffy mix.

4. Fry in oil till crispy and golden. Top with more salsa verde and serve.