Julie Bove wrote:
> ...At least the beans were good! Heh! But as I described
> this to my mom, she said it sounded just like a dish that her mom made
> when she was a kid. It is very economical and my mom came from a big
> family so I can see how this would fit the bill there. Here is the
> recipe if you are so inclined.
>
> 3 cups water
> 1 teaspoon salt
> 1 [cup] cornmeal
> 1 Tablespoon butter or mild vegetable oil
> 1 pound ground beef
> 1 large onion, finely chopped
> 2 cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
> 2 teaspoons chili powder or to taste
> Salt and pepper
> [snipped the directions]
>
> I doubt that I will make this again. But if I do, I will likely add
> some chilies or something to amp up the flavor. Perhaps add them to the
> mush. And use another form of tomato product like sauce or salsa. Heck,
> I might even forgo the mush and just use creamed corn. But then it will
> be even less tamale-like and in no way will be a pie but... It might
> taste better. I have used creamed corn in my enchilada casserole because
> it gives a bit of a creamy texture that otherwise would be missing due
> to my not being able to have cheese.
>

Maybe try using canned enchilada sauce (green or red) instead of
tomatoes. I think I would start with a can of red sauce and a diced
fresh tomato.

Bob