Tamale Pie II

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chili powder 
• 0.3 cup bell pepper green chopped
• 2 pounds ground beef lean
• 0.5 cup onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 0.5 cup tomato sauce 
• 4 cups water 
• 1 cup cornmeal white
• 15 ounce kernel corn whole undrained canned

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• casserole dish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
2. In a saucepan, bring water to boil and add the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slowly add the cornmeal and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Pour 2/3 of the hot cornmeal mush into a 2 quart casserole dish. Using the spoon, bring it up the sides as far as it will reach. If mush is too thick to spread, add a little boiling water.
4. In a large frying pan, cook, but don't brown, the ground beef, breaking it up into crumbs as it cooks.
5. Add onion and green pepper and cook 5 minutes longer.
6. Add corn (with its liquid), chili powder, salt and tomato sauce, heat until very hot and pour mixture into the casserole dish lined with cornmeal mush.
7. Spoon remaining cornmeal mush over top. Again, it should be thin enough to spread, but certainly not watery.
8. Top with grated cheese and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned.