Mom's recipe revised to make a healthier meal

Dear Jeanne: My mother made this for years, and I would like to revise it to fit into my diet. Can you help?

Thank you! — T. Franklin, Sunbury, Ohio

Dear T.: I changed only a few things, and I was able to keep it tasty, but with a lot less fat. Remember to look for lean, white-meat ground turkey. Sometimes skin is ground into the meat, and it adds a lot of fat.

The topping is interesting; it's kind of a cross between cornbread and polenta. I added some of the cheese to it instead of the butter to add flavor.

TAMALE PIE

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons oil

1 pound ground beef

1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (14-ounce) can corn

1/2 cup ripe olives

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Topping:

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups cold water

1 tablespoon butter

Saute the onion and green pepper in the oil. Add the beef and brown. Add the rest of the ingredients. Put in a buttered casserole dish. For the topping, stir the cornmeal and salt into the cold water; cook until thickened, then add the butter. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

LIGHT TAMALE PIE

1 pound ground lean turkey

1 cup onion, chopped (1 medium)

1 cup green pepper, chopped (1 small)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin