I'm blogging at www.melaniedorsey.com . Please join me there.

Mar 14, 2009

Saturday Stirrings - Jalapeno Cornbread!

For more Saturday Stirrings recipes or tips, visit Carol at I Throw Like A Girl.
Jalapeno Cornbread
Everytime I make this cornbread, I wonder why I don't make it more often. It's "flat-out" good.
1 cup cornmeal (I use Martha White corn meal mix - no need to add salt or baking soda if you use the self-rising mix) ***

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup cream style yellow corn

1/3 cup oil

2/3 buttermilk

1 - 4 oz. can green chili-peppers, chopped (The amount of chili peppers you use determines the "heat" in your cornbread. I like heat so I use all of the chilis.)

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated


Combine all ingredients, except cheese, in a bowl. Mix well and pour 1/2 batter into hot, oiled black skillet (large one) or into a greased 9" square baking pan. Sprinkle cheese and cover with remaining batter. Bake @ 375 for 30 - 40 minutes. The top should be golden. Do not overbake.
*** If you use corn meal that is not self-rising, add 1/2 t. baking soda & 1/2 t. salt

My tips for great cornbread: I always use the Martha White self-rising corn meal mix. This way I never have to add additional salt, soda or baking powder. Also I always use an iron skillet. When I make cornbread I put enough oil in the skillet to cover the bottom and then some. While I mix the batter, I have the oiled skillet heating in the oven. I use the "hand over the skillet" method to determine whether the oil is hot enough. It's ready just at the smoking point. I swirl the oil in the skillet to coat the sides and then pour about 1/2 of the hot oil into the batter for regular cornbread. Stir quickly and pour the batter into the skillet. (For this jalapeno cornbread recipe, no need to add more oil from the skillet to the batter as there is already a 1/3 cup in the batter.) If you hear the "sizzle" when you pour the batter into the skillet, that is music to your cornbread ears! That means your edges will be crispy. Please do not try this cornbread unless you have buttermilk; I fear you will be disappointed.

The original recipe is from Southern Elegance (Junior League of Gaston County, NC).

My only tweak to this is using the cornmeal mix rather than cornmeal, salt & baking soda.

The last time I posted a cornbread recipe, I was contacted by Crescent Dragonwagon, the author of The Cornbread Gospels (Workman Publishing).

She very kindly sent me a copy of her book. There are over 200 recipes in her book and I have enjoyed reading about the differences in "southern" and "northern" cornbread. She includes recipes for quick breads, yeasted breads, spoonbreads and griddled & crisped breads!
If you are a cornbread connoisseur, you'll enjoy the book, too!
Happy Jalapeno-ing,
Melanie

11 comments:

  1. I made your Chipotle Roast last night and it was a hit! So I see your love for hot continues. I'm going to make this too. Builderman loves the spicy. As for me, it helps me with keeping my portions small. ; )

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE cornbread! We make it several ways, but the recips you listed is new! I'll give it a try! Thank you!!!

    Hugs,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love cornbread with a passion only a southerner can bring to the table :-) I've tried a few different recipes over the years, and this one sounds like a keeper! Can't get self-rising cornmeal here, but that's okay. I DID bring my mama's cast iron skillet! I've discovered something here called Sopa Paraguaya, supposedly the only solid soup in the world. BUT it's just another name for cornbread, kicked up a few notches :-) Here's a succinct explanation of it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopa_paraguaya

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, we're the non-spicy household, so I will have to go for the cornbread with no jalapeno. :-)

    You are quite the cook!

    ReplyDelete
  5. hey jalapeno queen:) Sounds great! Spice up that cornbread!

    Oh and about the relocating...we have serious contemplations in the winter...but then comes the spring...ahh... the beautiful Indiana seasons, and we decide it's not so bad after all:)
    Who knows tho...Maybe God will call us that way some day:)! I know we would be great friends!:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. You spicy girl! I am going to the Arts Festival to do some 'box' shopping! Oh, ask me specific questions via email you want to know about the conference. B

    ReplyDelete
  7. Do you understand how difficult it is to type a pithy comment with my mouth watering? YUMMO.

    BY the way, did Peggy Morris tell you that we met at the writer's conference? We're FaceBook friends now.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Melanie,
    Thank you for your encouragement at my blog this morning (Aroma of Joy). It has been a blessing looking through your 2 blogs and I plan to come back often! Besides our mutual love for the LORD, I too enjoy trying new recipes so I can't wait to attempt some of the ones you have posted. Have a wonderful day!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You are so right about the skillet. I so need to get one too. My mother gave me one and some where along the line I 'let it go.'

    My Grandmother loved Jalapeno cornbread and I don't have her recipe - yours looks so good.

    Thanks for the word up today at CM. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love spicy foods, but I do not like cooking. Not at all. This used to haunt me as a mom, but I've learned to live with serving simple foods. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the look of your blog! really classy! I love jalepeƱos!! so i will sometime try this recipe. JalepeƱos tend to be a bit expensive in Spain but maybe I can get some soon. :)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. How did you come to find it? Just fun to see the trails we ride.

    Have a great day in Jesus!

    ReplyDelete