This is how I remember my Grandma, with her ever present cigarette.

Grandma Piper's Tamale Pie

* The first time I published this post, I made a couple big errors in this recipe. Focus and attention to detail are not two of my strong points! 

Birthday celebrations were always important in our home, and every year my Grandma Piper would ask us what special dish we would like to have for our birthday dinner. I always picked the same dinner every year, my grandma's "Tamale Pie". She would prepare the dish early in the day and the heavenly aroma of the onion and garlic sautéing in butter would drift though the house, and soon I would be counting the minutes until dinner time. Today, this is still one of my favorite dishes, and always brings memories of Grandma Piper right into my kitchen.

Grandma Piper's "Tamale Pie"
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (12 oz)
1 can niblet corn drained
2 cans pitted black olives
1 package chili seasoning (I'm a wimp so I only use 1/2 package)
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup milk
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 to 2 lbs ground beef browned and drained
1 tsp. salt

In a large pot sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft and
translucent; add ground beef and continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, corn, and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil.
Slowly stir in corn meal, milk, eggs, olives and chili seasoning and salt; mix well and
simmer for 15 min. while stiring occasionally. Pour mixture into 2 oven proof
casserole dishes and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
optional: remove from oven and top with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.