Lower Fat Jalapeno Cheese Tamales by @Flipsidebabee

Lower Fat Jalapeno Cheese Tamales by @Flipsidebabee

Ingredients:
3 cups Maseca Corn Masa mix for tamales
3 cups Maseca Corn Masa flour
6 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup of Crisco (softened and mixed with mixer)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cans of jalapenos
1 lbs of monterey jack, muenster, or cheddar cheese
1 bag corn husks
6 large jalapenos boiled until tender and strained
1 can of tomatillo sauce
2 tbsp of sour cream or Mexican crema

Directions
Masa -

* Add both types of masa flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Mix well.
* In another bowl have the broth ready.
* In a large bowl add the softened crisco.
* With mixer operating, slowly add 2 cups at a time of broth and dry mixture to the crisco (continuously mixing) until all the dry mixture andbroth are gone. Mix until the consistency of cookie dough. This ensuresthat the crisco gets througout the mixture.
* Take a small piece of the masa and place inside a glass of cold tapwater. Do not ball the masa. If the masa floats, it is ready. If not, add 1 tbsp of softened crisco at a time to the mixture until the masa floats.

Tamale -

* Soak the corn husks in hot water. Once the husks are less stiff separate them. Also, it’s a good idea to use thick and tall ones as ties(tear into strips).
* Using a masa spreader or a dry wal scraper (from hardware store), thinly spread the masa over the wide part of the husks.
* Add the jalapeno and cheese and roll the husk like a burrito but don’t tuck in the ends.
* Fold the pointed part of the husk to seal the bottom and tie closed with the extra strips of corn husks. The top will be left open.
* Repeat

Cooking the Tamale -
* Prepare a steamer and arrange the tamales where the open parts are facing up (standing up vertically). Steam for 60 minutes or until masa is fluffy throughout and cheese is melted.
* Caution: remember to watch the water levels, if the water levels are low, this can scorch your tamales.
* Let the tamales stand for 30 minute before serving. This let’s them set up or else they’ll be soggy.

Sauce -
* Blend the jalapenos and tomatillo sauce until there are not more chunks of jalapenos
* Mix in the cream
* Use as the dip or sauce for the tamales

Notes: Tamales can be frozen raw and can be thawed to cook again.