Tamale Pie

Danita's favorite Tamale Pie recipe from Ladies' Home Journal

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups water (4 if using cornmeal)

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups instant polenta or cornmeal, divided

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1, 19 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1, 15 ounce can salsa style tomato sauce or 1 can chili-style tomatoes

1, 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1, 4 ounce can chopped green chiles

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. bring water and salt to boil in a large saucepan. Reserve 2 tablespoons instant polenta. Gradually whisk remaining polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to low; cook stirring 5 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Stir in remaining cheese into polenta. Brown beef in large skillet over high heat, drain. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn, chiles, green onions, and reserved polenta, heat through. Spoon beef mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole. Spoon polenta over top. Sprinkle with reserved cheddar. Place casserole on jelly-roll pan. Bake 20 minutes or until top of pie begins to brown.