Tamale Pie

This image courtesy of bgfoods.com

This cheesy Mexican casserole recipe is packed to the brim with meat and fresh vegetable. Hearty and a little spicy, it's topped with a wonderfully seasoned enchilada sauce making every bite a joy. Try something new for dinner tonight.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (16-ounces) Ortega enchilada sauce
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 can (2.25-ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 teaspoon salt
For the Crust:
2 cups water
1 can (4-ounces) Ortega diced green chilies
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Ortega pickled jalapenos sliced, (optional)

Instructions

For the filling, cook beef, onion and garlic in a large skillet until beef is browned; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce, corn, olives and salt.
For the crust, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 12 x 8-inch baking dish.
Combine corn meal, water, evaporated milk and salt in medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened.
Stir in chiles. Reserve 2 cups corn meal mixture; cover with plastic wrap. Spread remaining corn meal mixture on bottom and up sides of prepared baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes. Cool in dish on wire rack. Spoon beef filling into corn meal crust. Spread reserved corn meal mixture over beef filling.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with jalapeños, if desired.