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The secret ingredient? Corn muffin mix!

Heat up the oven! It's time for a family meal idea guaranteed to please everyone at the table: tamale pie. It's Tex-Mex comfort food at its finest, because nothing is more comforting than ground beef and cheese freshly baked in a warm, savory pie. But we've added a secret ingredient into the mix. "Corn muffin mix is the secret to this scrumptious shortcut pie!" Ree Drummond says. And then, it's so easy to make: Throw everything together in a cast-iron skillet and cook it until the cornbread topping is golden brown, and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Yum!

19-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chiles)

8.5-oz. boxes corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy), plus required ingredients

grated pepper jack cheese (about 8 ounces)