Riffing on the Cheeseburger

Last night, as we were eating dinner, Jeannene said, "The dinners you've been making this week remind me of being a kid." I said, "It's fall! Time for comfort food." The chicken & asparagus casserole I made Tuesday night was an enormous disappointment to me, although she loved it, but last night's dinner was yummy! I made cornbread cheeseburger pie, served with Lima beans & a salad. This is my take on Naomi Costales' upside-down hamburger pie from the Gooseberry Patch cookbook, The Harvest Table:

1 lb. lean ground beef (96% lean worked great)

1/2 onion, chopped

8 oz. tomato sauce

Salt & pepper

Ketchup-mayo, just a squirt or two

Mustard squirt

Dollop pickle relish

Handful shredded cheddar

2 (8.5 oz each) boxes cornbread mix (although I will use one next time, I think)

2 eggs

2/3 c. 2% milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown beef & onion in cast iron skillet. Drain. Add tomato sauce, s&p, condiments, & cheese. Mix well and spread evenly in skillet. Prep cornbread batter as instructed on box, with eggs & milk. Spread atop the beef mixture. Bake 1/2 hour. Serves 4-6.