COOK | CHILI CORNBREAD CASSEROLE

Do you ever have those nights where you just can't fall asleep... and suddenly you get really hungry and start craving giant blueberry muffins with streusel topping? Maybe that's just me. Well last night was totally different. Last night I craved chili topped with cornbread all baked together in wonderful goodness. I thought I invented something new all in my head, a spin-off from Joy the Baker's Chicken Pot Pie and Chive Biscuits, but when I searched Pinterest the next day I found that many others had already gone before me. It turned out to be even better than I imagined!

Adapted from Budget Bytes

Ingredients:
Chili

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 onion 
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 (15 oz.) can roasted tomatoes 
• 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin 
• 1 tsp oregano 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar 

Cornbread

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• ¼ cup sugar 
• 4 tsp baking powder 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1 large egg 
• ¼ cup vegetable oil 

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add oil to pan and cook onions, garlic, and beef over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent and the beef is browned. (This can also be prepared and baked in a skillet.)
2. Drain the beans and rinse them briefly with cool water. Add the tomatoes and rinsed beans to the skillet. Stir to combine. 
3. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt to the skillet. Stir to combine and then allow the mixture to heat through. Don't forget to taste the chili! Adjust the seasonings if you need to (for extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper).
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl/large measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg, and oil. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is moistened.
5. In a greased 9x13 baking dish, pour chili and spread evenly, then sprinkle cheddar cheese over top. Carefully pour the cornbread batter over the chili and cheese, and spread it around until everything is evenly covered.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown on the surface. 

Look at that yummy goodness! I didn't have cheddar so I had to use mozzarella. (I added cheddar the next day and ate the leftovers for lunch!)