Nail dinner with this one-pot casserole that only takes 15 minutes of prep with fantastic results

Are there any foods that you love beyond reason, things that you’ll find a way to work into recipes where they logically have no place? I certainly do, and this recipe combines most of them: corn bread, Mexican spices, ground beef and cheese. Here you make a flavorful meaty base that is kind of like meatloaf but saucier and spicier and held together with a cornmeal crust. Then you top the whole thing with melted cheese.

This recipe uses premade salsa for a perfect balance of tang and spiciness. Rice works as a binder. The soy sauce may seem like an odd addition, but it adds just the right balance of savory umami.

CRUST:
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup cornmeal
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

MEATLOAF:
1½ pounds ground beef
1 jar (16 ounces) chunky salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup instant rice, uncooked
2 cups shredded Muenster or cheddar cheese

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease a pie pan lightly with vegetable oil or mist with cooking spray. Mix crust ingredients in a medium bowl until just combined. Spread evenly over bottom and sides of pie pan.

3. In a large bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients, except for cheese, and stir until thoroughly combined. Scoop over crust and smooth out the top.

4. Bake for 50 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for another 15 minutes, until crust is lightly browned and cheese is bubbling.

Pro tip: Serve this dish with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole to balance spiciness and enhance the Mexican flavor.