Today is National Corn Chip Day!

Today is National Corn Chip Day! I love corn chips, really one of my few snack food weakness, and they are fantastic on top of nearly any kind of casserole (especially to make that said casserole more "kid friendly"!). I also love them on top of salads for some crunch, chili, soups, etc. A very versatile topping! But...not terribly low in fat, or calories, or sodium.

(image from www.foodmayhem.com)

Here is a recipe from Epicurious to make your own Corn Chips from home that are low-fat and you can control sodium levels by using other spices to give them some flavor and "kick"!

Low-Fat Chili Corn Chips
Bon Appétit July 2003

Ingredients:

6 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas
Canola oil
Salt, cumin, and chili powder, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush tortillas with canola oil. Stack tortillas and cut into 6 wedges. Spread wedges in single layer on baking sheet. Sprinkle chips with salt, cumin, and chili powder. Bake until crisp, about 12 minutes.

Then, you can use these, or store bought corn chips to make one of my favorite recipes (and entirely kid-friendly): Tamale Pie!

Tamale Pie
Epicurious January 1999
by Gail Glickman Horwood

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground chuck
2 cans of Mexicorn (sold at most supermarkets)
1 small can of cream-style corn
1/2 package of Cinch (or Jiffy) brand cornbread mix
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 medium package of Frito corn chips
8 oz red wine
salt, pepper, garlic
sliced black olives for garnish

Preparation:

Brown the onions, green pepper, and garlic. Add the meat and brown. Add the Mexicorn, tomato sauce, wine, chili powder, salt, pepper and simmer for 15 or 20 minutes. Place mixture in a casserole dish.

Make the topping with the cornbread mix, 1 cup of cream-style corn, 1/2 cup cheese, and milk to make runny. (Sometimes I add an egg.) Pour over the casserole and bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes.

10 minutes before serving, sprinkle top with crushed Fritos and add the remaining cup of cheddar cheese. Garnish with sliced black olives.


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