Tamale Pie

I do not know why, but making the savory pies does not get me as thrilled as the dessert pies do. I still feel creative, but it is different.

This is different from most of the Tamale Pie recipes I have seen in that it has a top and bottom crust, most just have the top crust.

This turned out very nice. The crust was solid enough to hold up to being served in whole pieces and tender enough to compete with some of the best cornbread I have had. The top crust blended with a layer of cheddar cheese that made it quite remarkable. The filling was spicy and very flavorful. The only downside to this dish was that it made an entire 9x13 pan with Sweet Wife and I being the only ones home to enjoy it most of it ended up in the trash.

I went out to Camp Yamhill this weekend for the retreat that we have with our youth group each year. It is a really great weekend with some terrific kids. The Spirit of God permeated the weekend. I was moved as were so many of the teens and participating adults.

One of the reasons I enjoy Camp Yamhill so much is the couple that has taken over the cooking and such there, Alex and Pam. No more packaged foods. The food there used to be OK, but now it is very good. I have struck up a friendship with them and enjoy visiting with them whenever I go out there. Alex is a funny guy, I always enjoy his humor and Pam is a chef willing to teach and answer all my goofy questions. It was sad this weekend because Pam was sick and I only saw her briefly the first morning for breakfast. I pray she gets well fast.

If I had not run out of time to bake on Friday before I left I had planned to bring her an example of my baking adventure in an Apple Galette. She told me that one of the "final exams" in culinary school was to bake a galette and I wanted to get her opinion of mine, well maybe next time.