This winner of a tamale casserole has a cornmeal crust topped with a tasty chili-flavored ground beef filling and sprinkled with cheddar cheese.

Tamale Pie Casserole

Crust:

2 1/2 cups cold water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups white or yellow cornmeal

 

Filling:

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (14-ounce) can chili con carne (with or without beans)

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (2-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1 (8 1/2-ounce) can cream-style corn

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. For crust combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and very stiff, about 10 minutes. Press mixture onto the bottom of a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
3. For filling, cook the ground beef in a large skillet with the onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, and heat to boiling; simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Pour over cornmeal crust; sprinkle evenly with cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Make 6 servings.