Chili-Corn Chip Pie

I'd heard about Frito Pie from my Southern friends and was curious. I mean, who doesn't like the sound of Fritos being part of a meal? Well, when I finally got around to reading my September 2011 issue of Cooking Light (just a few days ago) and I saw the recipe for Chili-Corn Chip Pie, I figured now was my chance to try it. It was a bonus that it is considered a "light" version.

John and I were going to go out to eat Saturday night, but once the predicted Nor'easter was becoming a reality, I decided that it was the perfect night for comfort food and the perfect night to make the Chili-Corn Chip Pie. You'll see the various items that are light/low-fat. Our grocery store didn't have "lightly salted" Fritos, so we used regular ones. We also used low-fat vs. fat-free sour cream, as we can't quite make that leap.

Let me just say this -- John (my husband) is wary of ANYTHING that's light or low-fat. So, basically, anything that comes out of the Cooking Light magazine, he's skeptical of. Not this one. He used the word "amazing," I do believe. He loved it and so did I! It's a great winter lunch/dinner and it's VERY easy.

Ingredients


Cooking spray
1 pound ground sirloin
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon no-salt-added tomato paste
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/3 cup water
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
4 ounces lightly salted corn chips (such as Fritos)
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup diagonally sliced green onion tops

Preparation

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring to crumble. Remove beef; drain. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beef, cumin, pepper, and salt.

2. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add broth, 1/3 cup water, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3. Place 1 ounce chips in each of 4 bowls, and top each serving with about 2/3 cup beef mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon sour cream. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons green onions.