Tamale Pie

Since introducing my kids to Trader Joe's tamales a few months ago, they have become all the rage in our house. I happen to love tamales too & thought it would be fun to try making some.
But, upon further investigation, I decided that they were a bit too complicated to deal with...being that my life, at the moment, will only allow for quick & easy meals.
So, I decided to try & find a tamale pie recipe. I figured they would like that just as much & it turns out they like it even more!
The recipe that looked the most fantastic to me, was one I found over on the food blog, Simply Recipes. I made quite a few changes to it, but the basis of the filling is pretty much the same.
I highly recommend trying this out, as it received more praise than anything I've made in a very long time. Don't be deterred by the long ingredient list. It really couldn't be easier! If you can make tacos, you can make this!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" x 12" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Then, start by getting some ingredients ready for the filling...
Finely chop one medium onion & one red bell pepper. Measure out 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of ground cumin & 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.

Next, you will need 1 {14.5 ounce} can of crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 {4 ounce} can of green chiles {drained & chopped} & 1 {3.8 ounce} can of sliced black olives {drained},

3 ears of fresh corn {kernels removed},

and 1 cup of shredded cheese. I used a mix of sharp cheddar & Monterey jack. You can use one, or the other...or a Mexican cheese blend.

With all your ingredients ready, begin cooking...
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet, over medium high heat. Add in 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef, along with the onions & bell peppers.
Cook, stirring & breaking up the ground beef as you go, until it's cooked through & the vegetables are softened.

Add in the spices & cook for an additional minute, or so. Remove the skillet from the heat & stir in the tomatoes, green chiles, olives, corn & shredded cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

For the topping, add 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar & 1 teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of milk, 2 large eggs & 6 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry & whisk until just incorporated. It's okay to have a few lumps.

Pour the batter over the filling & bake for 40 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is set & the filling is bubbling.

Let it cool for about 10 minutes & serve.

Tamale Pie

Adapted {quite a bit} from Simply Recipes
Makes a 9" x 12" casserole

filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 {14.5 ounce} can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 {4 ounce} can green chiles, drained & chopped
1 {3.8 ounce} can sliced black olives, drained
3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
1 cup shredded cheese {cheddar/jack mix works well here}

topping:
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9" x 12" casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
For the filling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the ground beef, onions & bell pepper. Cook, stirring & breaking up the ground beef as you go, until it's cooked through & the vegetables are softened. Add in the salt, chili powder & cumin. Cook for an additional minute, or so. Remove the skillet from the heat & stir in the tomatoes, green chiles, olives, corn & shredded cheese. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
To make the topping, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar & salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs & melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry & whisk until just incorporated. It's okay to have a few lumps.
Pour the batter over the filling & bake for 40 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is set & the filling is bubbling. Let it cool for about 10 minutes & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.