Ingredients:
Husks:
50 large corn husks

Meat filling:
1 1/3 lb cooked, boned chicken, chopped
2/3 lb cooked, boned pork loin, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 C shortening
3/4 C chicken broth
3 T chili powder
1 1/4 t cumin
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C chili sauce
1 t Tabasco sauce
1 hot red chili pepper, crushed
2 t salt

Masa:
4 C masa harina
1/2 C shortening
1 t salt
3 C chicken broth

Directions:
Husks: Cover dried husks with boiling water and soak for 2 hours.

Meat filling: Brown the garlic, chicken and pork in the shortening. Make a paste of the chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Stir into meat. Add the remaining filling ingredients and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes. Taste the mixture for seasoning. If you like hotter tamales, add an additional 1/2 t Tabasco.

Masa: For the masa spread, mix the masa harina, salt, shortening, and broth together well with your hands.

To roll the tamales, spread a husk as flat as possible; place 1 T of the masa mixture in the center and spread downward, leaving margins of 1 1/2 inches at the sides and bottom. Top with 1 T of the meat filling and spread over the masa but not quite to the edges of it. Fold the bottom margin of husk overt he masa and meat filling, then fold the right and left sides in. Leave the top open. Repeat until all tamales have been rolled. Stand the tamales, sealed end down, in the center of a large steamer. Fill the outside with additional husks or crumpled aluminum foil so that the tamales will stand by themselves.

Fill the bottom of the steamer with water, then steam the tamales, covered for 2 1/2 hours. Serve hot or cold. Any leftover tamales can be resteamed for about 30 minutes and then eaten hot.

***To prepare the frozen tamales just thaw them, remove the husks and heat individually with cheese in the microwave. Or, put in a baking dish, cover with cheese and tin foil, and heat 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.