Cornbread Casserole

I'm finally back in the game! My new laptop cord finally arrived yesterday -- it shipped from Hong Kong, so it took for-e-ver (said like Squints from The Sandlot. Great movie. Watched that all the time as a kid.). Anyway.

This is a yummy dinner that fills you up fast, which is great for cheap cooking! It's kind of like a one-dish chili and cornbread. We made a pan of this last night, and it fed our family of 5 with plenty left over for several lunches throughout the week. This recipe is one that my husband takes responsibility for preparing, since it's his grandmother's recipe. So that means I get a night off when we make this, which definitely adds to its appeal! :)

You can change it up tons of different ways! Add kidney beans, green chilies, jalepenos, Monterrey Jack instead of cheddar, toss in some leftover veggies, etc. Spice it up with cumin or chili powder, make it more Italian by adding some oregano and basil.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
cheddar cheese, shredded
1 package cornbread mix, or see our made-from-scratch recipe

Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add onion, corn, tomatoes and bell peppers. Saute until veggies are soft. Meanwhile, prepare cornbread mix. When meat/veggie mixture is done, pour into a 9x13 casserole dish, top with cheese, and then spread cornbread mix on top. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until cornbread is done. **Insert a toothpick into the center to make sure cornbread is cooked all the way through before serving.** Top with sour cream, if desired.