Meaty Corn Bread Casserole

Hello! This is what we had for supper tonight. I am posting it now, so as to get it in under the wire (because tomorrow is a new month). This was pretty good, kind of like a jazzed up shepherd's pie. Steve loves anything topped with cornbread (or just anything, really) so this was a big hit...it's from (can you guess?) Simple & Delicious jan/feb '08.

Meaty Corn Bread Casserole
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
1 3/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 cup water
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 pkg (8.5 oz) corn bread/muffin mix
1 tbsp real bacon bits
1 1/2 tsp pepper (I used less, this seemed like a lot)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 envelope country gravy mix (I left this out. 1 gravy seemed like enough, and this one was just garnish)

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the corn, water, and brown gravy mix. Bring to a boil; cook and stir x 1 minute or until thickened. Spoon into a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Prepare corn bread batter by pkg directions; stir in the bacon bits, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread over meat mixture. Bake, uncovered, @ 400 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cornbread layer comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare country gravy mix according to pkg directions; serve with casserole. 6 servings.

I think if I make this again (and I probably will) I will double the recipe and put it in a 9x13 baking dish. It was enough for all of us, but there were no leftovers, and I like to have leftovers to put in Steve's lunch. Well, technically he puts them in his own lunch, because I don't pack his lunches. Do you think that's bad? So, Sam said this was really good, not quite as good as the usual shepherd's pie, but close. I also thought it was very tasty. I already told you what Steve thought. Nathan wouldn't touch it, and Emma, when it was set before her, said "What IS this?" and proceeded to have much complaining and tears at dinner. But 3 out of 5 is still a majority, so it wins.