After we got married, I entered the obligatory period of time where all my friends where hosting kitchen parties. You know the drill—kitchen parties filled with gadgets to buy, laughter, and the occasional kitchen mishap. This dish came from one of those events, though it’s been tweaked and perfected over the years to become a Friday night favorite in our house.

• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can chili beans with sauce
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 box corn muffin mix
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato, diced

Let’s cook!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In an oven-proof dish, brown the ground beef. Add the peppers and onions and cook until the vegetables are soft.
3. Drain the excess fat from the pan and season with the taco seasoning
4. Stir in the chili beans and cook until they’re warmed through
5. While the mixture is heating, combine the muffin mix, sour cream and egg
6. Gently spread the batter over the top of the ground beef mixture to cover it completely
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Top with the cheese, and bake another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted & golden
8. Let stand about 5 minutes before topping with the diced tomatoes

Slice it up and serve it right out of the pan. A nice green salad on the side is the perfect compliment.

There’s a lot to like about this dish: it’s super easy (making it perfect for a Friday night dinner on a winter night) and combines a couple of our favorite things (cornbread and chili). Do you have a go-to recipe that saves the day on busy weeknights? Let us know!

And as always, eat well friends.