Cheesy Frito Tamale Pie

This casserole recipe is one I created back in college, one that I continue to make on days that I really don't feel like "cooking". Back then, I always had these ingredients on hand because they were cheap, stored well, and the casserole lasted all week.

Now, I can be a snob when it comes to certain things, so if you see the ingredients below and turn your nose up - I'll let it slide. ;) But we grew up on these items and they taste like home to me. Add a few things like cheese and ground meat and you've got yourself a down home masterpiece. ;)

Ingredients

1/2 onion chopped
1 lb ground chuck or lean ground meat

1 can kernel corn

2 cans Hormel (or preferred) Hot Tamales (I like the spicy ones)

1 can Hormel chili with beans

1 cup Fritos chips, crushed

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I never said this was low fat...)

sour cream for topping

Directions

Brown ground meat, drain. Add chopped onions and season meat mixture with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, or whatever mexican type seasonings you have on hand. If you don't have any, no worries - salt and pepper will do just fine.

Add corn to the meat mixture, stirring well. Set aside.

Take the tamales and lightly smush them in a bowl with a fork into chunks.

Spray a 9x13 or larger dish with cooking spray and empty crushed Fritos into the bottom, making a sort of "crust" for the casserole. Next take the chunky tamale pieces and cover the fritos. Add about half of the shredded cheese. Top with the ground meat/onion/corn mixture. Next add the cans of chili. Last but not least, top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake at 385 uncovered for 20 minutes or until hot all the way through. Top with sour cream.

Enjoy!