Nate loves corn bread. Who doesn’t.
Unfortunately for my waistline, I love all bread. But I do find cornbread to be one of the tastier varieties.
There are so many different types, though. I used to think I preferred the slightly sweet ones to the savory ones, but this recipe changed my mind.
Nate, his brother, and I headed down to his mom’s house in PA for 4th of July weekend. And as is required for this patriotic holiday, we had ourselves a barbecue. I thought this cornbread sounded like a perfect accompaniment to our grillings.
The result was cheesy, slightly sweet, salty, spicy and amazing. Lucky for me, Nate’s mom owns a really old cast iron skillet, but this could easily be made in an 8 inch square baking pan.
Please do yourself a favor and make this ASAP. You will thank me.
Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread
Taken from Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys
Serves 6-8
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen, fresh, or left over from a cooked cob)- I used frozen that I got to room temp in microwave
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños (optional, but highly recommended!)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne. Blend in the milk, eggs, and butter. Fold in the cheese, corn, and the jalapeños, if using.
3. Scoop into a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a buttered 8-inch square baking pan and smooth over the top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Note: Do not overbake or the corn bread will be dry. Cut into wedges or squares and serve hot.
