Dianne for me I just plan a day of it because when I make mine I make alot of them you can freeze them and they make a great quick snack, plus I give them to poeple that have helped me thew the year one way or a other they make great gifts for Christmas. Chatty is right the meat takes the longest it has to cook for hours till the meat shreddes easy. Plus I add some seasons to give it flaver the longer it cooks the best it taste, then you want to add some home made redchilli which has seasons of its own. The spreading of the masa can take long if you dont make it just right. so that is by feeling it can't be sticky and it has to be a little salty cause when you steam them the salt dissolves. I have been told that I make the best tamales and I have to thank my mom, you see I come from a big family of 14teen my mom sold tamales door to door so we had to help, the girls helped with making them and the boy's sold them door to door. My mom did it because she had to help my dad with the bills and have extra money for Christmas. I started helping when I was eight I only did the sprending but became very good that it so I might say that is the easy part. I recomend that if you have never had a home made tamale you should find someone who makes them and not a store because they are not the same, belive me someone sells them they are best found at Christmas time and threw the new year.