Stuffed Mexican Cornbread

Stuffed Mexican Cornbread 1 1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal 1 14.75 oz can cream style corn 1 cup buttermilk 2 large eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 Tbsp sugar 2 thin green onion chopped 1/2 tsp salt Filling: 1 medium sweet onion vegetable oil 1 lb extra lean ground beef 1 tsp each seasoned salt and black pepper may adjust to taste 1/2 cup taco sauce 1 4 oz can diced green chilies drained 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp minced garlic 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro 2 cups shredded Mexican blend OR monterey jack cheese divided Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 12 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, corn, buttermilk, eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, sugar, chopped chives and salt. Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute chopped onion and ground beef over medium-high heat in a few drizzles of vegetable oil. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper to taste. (Recommend 1 tsp each) Cook until no pink remains in the beef, then drain any excess fat from the pan. Add taco sauce, green chilies, cumin, minced garlic and cilantro. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Remove from the heat. To assemble: Pour 1/2 of the cornbread batter into the baking dish. Using a tablespoon, drop the ground beef evenly over the cornbread batter. Sprinkle beef with 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese. Pour the remaining cornbread batter evenly on top. Bake for 30 minutes then sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Continue to bake for 5-10 minutes until melted and golden. Cut and serve with sour cream, if desired. Notes To heat things up, chop a small jalapeno and saute along with the onions for the filling. You can also substitute pepper-jack cheese for the milder Mexican cheese blend.