Tamales in the making.......

A bunch of us got together Thursday evening to make homemade tamales. I have to admit that I really didn't have a fondness for tamales before moving to Arizona. The main reason was that where I came from they came out of a can and were wrapped in paper. They were okay but nothing to write home about. Then we moved to Arizona and I had my first homemade tamale! What a difference!!! I love tamales!!! We learned how to make the masa, put it on the corn husks, fill with one of the fillings - we had green chili & cheese, pork with and without barbecue sauce, chicken, and even strawberry tamales! We made about 120 tamales that night and each took home a boatload for our familias!! The tamales then had to be steamed for about an hour before eating. Delicious!!! (I got so involved I forgot to take pictures while making the tamales.) We also learned to make a fantastic salsa - just in time for Cinco de Mayo!!!! Ole!