Tamales

Christine tells me that I should have shared the recipe for Tamales. This was a Relief Society project, so I got the recipes from them. You purchase the mesa in the Hispanic aisle at the grocery store. They also recommended the purchase of the chillies at a specialty store.

Relief Society Tamales

10 pasilla or California dried chillies
2 garlic buds
2 c. broth
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbs chili pepper
1 tbs salt
8-10 pounds pork, beef or chicken.

CHILI SAUCE: Put chilies and garlic in a saucepan with broth. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Put in a blender and bled until smooth. Add cumin, black pepper, chili powder and salt.
MEAT: put met in a large pot and cover with water. Boil until tender. Put in food processor and shred or pull apart with a fork. Put all of the broth aside and save. Meat can be cooked ahead and put in freezer or fridge until ready to use. Add chili sauce and blend until ready to use.
MESA: Mix mesa according to the recipe on package and add 1 tsp chili powder. If mesa is too dry, add more broth.
NOTE: This is a mild recipe. You can add more chili powder to make hotter if desired. If you have leftover masa, you can make tamales out of cheese, thick chili or refried beans.