Southwestern Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup cream-style corn

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies

• 1/2 cup minced onion

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the corn, buttermilk, green chilies, onion and egg and mix well. Stir in the cheese.

4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and stir together just until combined. Melt the butter in a cast iron pan until foamy. Swirl the butter to coat the pan, then stir the butter into the batter and then immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, melt the butter separately, coat a 10 inch baking dish and proceed as directed. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe Notes

Sweet or savory, I absolutely love cornbread! My mother would jazz up boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix with jalapeños and cheese and this recipe reminds me of that. Green chilies and cheddar cheese add a savory twist but the secret ingredient is creamed corn which provides a soft but dense crumb. You can enjoy this cornbread on its own (might I suggest some honey butter if you do) but it would also be mega-delicious crumbled into a comforting bowl of chili con carne or pot roast. If you like a spicier bread, take a cue from my mother and use hot canned green chilies or add some diced serrano, jalapeño or habanero peppers.