Chili Casserole
Bake 20 minutes at 375degrees; Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium-size onion chopped (1/2 cup)
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (1 pound each) kidney beans (Substitute any beans you like: red beans, pinto beans or black beans – drain and rinse black beans; no need to drain the others.)
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix, prepared according to directions. Add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese to the batter.
Directions:
Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet – you can also pour mixture into a casserole dish to bake.
Add onion and green pepper; sauté until translucent. Stir in garlic; cook until limp – do not burn! Remove vegetables from the skillet; set aside.
Brown ground beef in the same skillet until done. Stir vegetables back into the ground beef. Add tomato sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir in beans.
Prepare cornbread batter and spread over top of chili mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until cornbread tests done.
Note: This recipe originally appeared in Family Circle magazine in March, 1973. Back then, I clipped recipes and taped them to index cards. I have adapted this somewhat as the original recipe included instructions for from-scratch cornbread but the Jiffy Mix is just as good and much simpler for me, especially when I was trying to get dinner on the table after work.
My handwritten notes scattered around the card include:
“Very good!”
“Do not drain beans! Do not reduce liquid!”