Melba's Tamale Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup milk or 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced olives, drained (optional)
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package chili seasoning mix (lawry's brand, if available) or 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning (lawry's brand, if available)
• 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 mix 1 heaping cup yellow corn meal and 1 cup milk in bowl, mix in to 2 cups boiling water and stir mixture until smooth. stir in a tsp of the lawry's chile seasoning from package.
• 2 brown 1 pound ground meat, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 medium chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste. drain grease well.
• 3 add to ground beef mixture: can whole kernel corn, crushed tomatoes, tomato.
• 4 paste, can olives, remainder of lawry's chile seasoning package.
• 5 layer in large cast iron skillet or 9 x 13 baking dish (grease skillet or pan with crisco).
• 6 1. place 1/2 corn meal mixture in bottom.
• 7 2. remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/2 of grated cheese.
• 8 3. spread meat mixture in middle.
• 9 4. layer remaining corn meal mixture on top.
• 10 bake at 375 about 30 minutes, then add grated cheese and bake another 10 minutes, or until bubbly and brown.