The Magic of Corn Bread

I'm all about sitting down to eat with family and friends.  The conversation should be stimulating or at the very least not put you to sleep in your soup.  A decent bottle of vino is a must.  But what about the main course, you ask.  

Hmmm, therein, mes amis, lies the rub.  

I am a big fan of the humble cornbread.  Since time is of the essence, I buy a box of Trader Joe's Corn Bread (it has actual corn kernels in the mix!) to use as my "gourmet" base.  Then comes the part where you actually have to think a bit.  Do I use ground beef, turkey or beans as the protein "base?"

I feel like ground beef today, so I chop up an onion or shallot (whatever is lying around talking to me), a clove or two of garlic and get them sauteing as I gather (or hunt) my other ingredients.  Once everything is looking golden, I dump in my ground beef to brown.  Then I add whatever I have on hand:  either a jar of salsa or a jar of marinara sauce--depending on my mood.  I let this simmer and bubble for a few minutes while I'm preparing a salad and finishing my glass of wine.

At this point, I follow the instructions on the corn bread box, grease a pyrex dish, dump my beef mixture into the cornbread mix and pop the whole thing into the oven.  Nearly an hour later, my newly named "tamale pie" is ready to see the light of day (or in my case the light of the candle!)

Not only is your family happy, but your friends are amazed and actually compliment you on being a great cook.  Ha!  The secret is in the TJ's Corn Bread mix--but your secret is safe with me.

There are lots of other corn bread mixes on the market.  But you must pass them by.  This is the real McCoy.

One pot wonders are weeknight must-do's.  Save the heavy artillery cooking for your weekend downtime.