I am Mi Madre's Daughter!

So my very good friend Michelle asked me to teach her how to make tamales before I moved to Hawaii. I'm not gonna lie, I was CRAZY nervous!  My awesome mom taught me, from her grandmother who taught her and I've been making tamales all my life, but never without my mom.  

So I got a pep talk from my mom and then Michelle and I went shopping for the ingredients.

The night before I crock-potted the meat with all the yummy seasonings.  Then shredded it.

Here I am mixing the Masa...

Wet unprepared masa + lard + salt + baking powder + warm water = YUM

Next we made the roux for the meat...

Here's the reserve meat juices that will be used in the sauce.

The seasonings that I used for the meat (I didn't use that brand of taco seasoning - I used Pampered Chef, but photos were taken at Michelle's and this is what she had).

I also used the seasoning in the red sauce and added a bit of flour and meat juices to thicken it up.

BEAUTIFUL and DELICIOUS!!!

Now mix the roux in with the shredded meat.  

Try not to eat it all before you put it into the tamales :)

Next clean your husks (make sure there are no bugs or silk hairs)

Here's the set up!

Michelle pasting the masa...

Added the meat and folding it... 

It's wrapped and YEAH she's made her first tamale!!!

Me making tamales!

We made about 5 dozen.  Not too shabby for one day's work!

So after our first dozen were made, we steamed them for an hour and a half and then let them rest on the counter for about 5 mins so they could set up.

Michelle scandalously enjoying her tamale!  

SO EXCITED THEY TASTE JUST LIKE MY MOM'S!!!

Marshall approves!

Yum Yum Yum!  Everyone approves!

I'm so excited that they tasted just like mi madre's!  And now I have the confidence to make them all on my own!  And eventually teach this to my girls!  YEAH! Family tradition lives on! :D