Chili and Corn Bread Casserole

This is one of the very few recipes I have that contain a lot of cans...but it is good and warm on a cold fall day and leaves you with very minimal clean up, which is my favorite kind of cooking! I've substituted some of the canned diced tomatoes with a freshly diced tomato just to make myself feel better about all the cans. Opt for low-sodium variations of beans to watch the sodium content.

Chili

1 pound ground turkey breast or lean beef
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 large tomato, diced
1 16 ounce jar salsa
1 15 ounce can reduced sodium black beans
1 15 ounce can reduced sodium kidney beans
1 15 ounce can reduced sodium pinto beans
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Using a 12 inch old beat up cast iron skillet or other skillet that can go straight from stove to oven, brown ground turkey or hamburger. Make sure not to chop your hamburger too finely, the men folk seem to like big chunks of meat, especially on deer hunting opener weekend! Once meat is browned, add canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced large tomato, salsa, beans (make sure to rinse them first) chili powder and cumin. Stir together to combine and simmer over low heat. Then prepare your corn bread topping.

Corn Bread Topping
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1 4 ounce can green chilies, diced

In a large bowl combine your dry ingredients and whisk together. Then stir in milk, oil, beaten egg, cheese and chilies and stir until just combined. There will still be clumps and that is ok! Evenly spread corn bread over top of chili in the cast iron skillet, being careful not to mix the corn bread and the chili.

Bake for 30 minutes until your corn bread is firm to the touch and golden brown.

Enjoy!!