Tamale Pie (vegetarian)

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 ounce) can refried beans (vegetarian style)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 -2 garlic clove, crushed and diced fine
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (or 1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes (whirl in blender to break-up tomatoes)
• 1 cup whole kernel corn (frozen)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt, to taste
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 bring water to a boil, add the brown rice and 1 teaspoons salt. bring water back to a boil, reduce heat to med-low, put a lid on the pot and cook for 45-50 minutes or until done. (i usually cook the rice early in the day.).
• 2 in a large dutch-oven type pan, heat vegetable oil over med-high heat.
• 3 add onion, garlic and green pepper to pan, stir and cook about 3 minutes or until veggies are tender-crisp.
• 4 stir in tomatoes, cooked brown rice, beans, corn and seasonings.
• 5 pour bean mixture into an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan. (spray the pan with spray-release or grease the pan first.).
• 6 sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
• 7 for corn-bread topping, in a medium bowl stir together the corn meal, water, flour, 2 t vegetable oil, baking powder and salt.
• 8 pour corn-meal topping over the grated cheese.
• 9 bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.