Recycling Leftovers

So the other day I made enchiladas--both chicken and beef.  My chicken version can be found here, and the beef version is very similar. I just use red sauce instead of green, and I substitute ground beef in place of the chicken.  And because I use ground beef, I don't crock pot it, I do it on the stove.  Anywho, I had leftovers of both chicken and beef this last week and needed to figure out what to do with all of them.  Perfect timing, too, because today, I was facing brain block when it came to making dinner.  So I made this...quick, easy, and pretty much mostly done before I started....

Tamale Pie

4 c of leftover beef enchilada filling, recipe follows
1 1/2 c cornmeal
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c milk
6 tbsp melted butter

Enchilada filling
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can red enchilada sauce
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, break into pieces as it cooks. Add onion, continue to cook.  Add corn, beans, and enchilada sauce, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour leftover enchilada filling into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt,  and baking powder.  Add milk, egg, and then lastly, stir in the melted butter.    Basically, you're making cornbread batter.  Pour this batter over top of the enchilada filling mixture, and bake for 25 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and whatever other toppings you enjoy (I liked guacamole on it too).

Enjoy!

 (If using the filling for enchiladas, I usually double the beef and use the large can of sauce, and then of course, stuff and roll the enchiladas.  In this case, just use the amounts above and then follow the directions.  Because I had this already made and leftover, I just dumped what I had left into the pan.)