Ancho Chili Pie

What started out as a lazy DIY dinner night (i.e. leftovers and frozen crap) quickly turned into a recipe creating session (AKA Throwing shit together in a bowl to see what happened).  The result?  Not as satisfying as I had anticipated but good nonetheless.  Addison (the 5 yr old picky eater who would prefer to live on saltine crackers and ice cream alone for the rest of her days) LOVED it.  That says alot considering she has really only ever LOVED a few things I've made and I was sure when I served it up on her pink plastic plate that it would be met with rejection and an unrelenting fight that could only result in 2 things: My increase in blood pressure and her fidgeting for 2 hours while I try to force feed her gruel.  Luckily, that didn't happen and she even begged for more, despite the fact that she could literally see tomatoes and green peppers in it.  Shocking!  So, low and behold:

Ancho Chili Pie

1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, (you guessed it...rinsed and drained)
1 can diced tomatoes (UNDRAINED...ha! Didn't see that coming, did you??)
1 C cornmeal (medium or coarse grind)
1 C flour (or white rice flour for GF)
1Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flaxmeal
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 1.2 C non-dairy milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Using non-stick spray or even just a Tbsp or so of water, heat skillet and throw in onion, garlic, peppers and chili powder.  You don't really need oil since the onions and peppers release a lot of water when cooking.  Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Then throw in your beans, corn and tomatoes.  Reduce heat to simmer while you prepare your cornbread topping.

Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, flaxmeal, cumin and salt together.  Whisk in 'milk'.

Pour the bean mixture into a casserole dish and pour the cornbread mixture on top, smoothing it out.

Throw it in the over for 30 minutes and you're done.

**If you don't have black beans, throw in an extra can of kidney, or vice versa.  If you don't have canned corn, throw some frozen in.  It's not rocket science.  If you have leftover brown rice in the fridge from last night, throw that in too!  Want it spicier?  Add cayenne.  You get the idea...

I seriously need to take a photography class!