Skillet Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread

My friend likes to have parties. For me, a party always bears the question, what do I bring? So, what do you bring you ask? I usually bring dessert. What's wonderful about these get togethers, is that usually everyone contributes something. In turn, there's always a dish or two that becomes the topic of conversation. At one of the parties, I was introduced to homemade cornbread.

I had no idea what happened but everyone seemed to get excited when T showed up with the tins of cornbread.  It was crazy, it was like moths to a flame. You started to see people gather in the corner of the room were the tins were placed. Then someone came up to me and asked if I had gotten a piece.  I said no. They suggested I get a move on before it was gone. Once I bit in I understood what all the hype was about. It's perfect.

Now I know you're thinking... dang you are an adult and you've never had cornbread? But this cornbread was unlike any other I've had. It was buttery and delicious. Sweet and savory. Everything you could ever want in comfort food.  Now I know other people have asked for the recipe so I didn't dare. But I set out to figure it what made it so different. What I realized was that there's definitely a difference in the taste between boxed cornbread and cornbread made with fresh corn meal and flour. So that was where I started.

In the end, I like this cornbread as a "go to" dish. Something that's this simple and easy to make will be a staple. So bye bye boxed cornbread. I'm never going back. That's right! I am in love. And who would have thought all this was made possible by a friends party? Now I know I can't make it like T (especially since I don't have her recipe) but I figured out a combo I like and it's quickly becoming a family favorite. It's perfect because it has a little kick from some jalapeño and a little more from some habanero cheddar cheese. Wooooo!! Can you tell I like spicy?

When we are looking for a real southern comfort food, there's nothing better than cornbread, paired with fried chicken and collard greens. That type of combination absolutely hits the spot.


Skillet Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread
Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup of flour
1 1/4 cups of corn meal
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of milk
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
2 jalapeño peppers (diced)
8 tablespoons of butter (melted)
1 tablespoon of butter (room temperature)
8 ounces of cheddar cheese (shredded)
4 slices of crumbled bacon (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F)

In a bowl combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.

In a separate bowl combine milk, eggs and butter.

Add milk mixture to dry mixture and mix gently with a spatula (do not over mix).

Stir in 6 ounces of cheese and diced jalapeños into the batter.

Use 1 tablespoon of butter and rub skillet until completed coated.

Transfer batter to pan and smooth top.

Add crumbled bacon (if using). Then top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cornbread cool. Then serve with your favorite main course.

"Pumpkin" Deviled Eggs

Halloween is right around the corner and the topic of discussion is "what are you bringing to the kids Trunk or Treat or Halloween party". There are so many options but depending on the rules and regulations for your child's school you may be limit in what you can buy or bring. This year I don't have to worry about accommodating anyone but my friends and family. So I'm planning on making one of my favorite dishes, perfect for any get together. Deviled eggs. It's hand held and tasty. Not to mention much better than a regular boiled eggs. In my filling I'm adding spicy mustard to give it a little kick. The filling for a deviled egg is very versatile. I love adding bacon and small chunks of jalapeño when I don't have to worry specific palettes.

With no restrictions, it's even easier to get into the Halloween spirit. It of course doesn't hurt that this dish is so easy to alter and easy to make with your children. I'm adding some orange food coloring to make the egg yolk filling look more like a pumpkin. And my little one is acting as sous chef mixing it up for me. With some red food coloring and olives you can make them look like scary eyes. Let's be honest, one of the best parts of the holidays is spending time with family and eating lots of food. So let's have some fun with it.

Deviled Eggs

Makes 12 deviled eggs

Ingredients

6 eggs

1/4 cup of mayo

1 teaspoon spicy mustard

1 teaspoon sweet relish

1/8 teaspoon of salt

fresh pepper

paprika for garnish

parsley for garnish

Optional: orange food coloring

Directions:

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cool water. 

Place pan on high heat and cook until water comes to a rolling boil.
Remove pan from heat and set aside for 12 minutes.

Remove eggs from water and gently tap the tip of the egg on counter to crack shell (if having trouble place egg under cool water or submerge in ice water).
Peel eggs. 

Slice eggs in half from top to bottom.

Remove yolks from whites and place in a bowl.

Mash yolks with a fork.

Add mayo, mustard and relish. Then mix and mash until smooth.

Add salt and pepper.

If making for a holiday add food coloring

Spoon a tablespoon of mixture into egg white and garnish

Mexican Street Corn

After my last post several friends mentioned the street food they love. So, I think August is going to be street food month. And one item that's a summer favorite and a street food fav is corn. It's sweet and delicious. I came across Mexican street corn or elota one summer and haven't looked back.

Corn is the perfect street food because you can eat it with your hands. In Mexico it's skewered which keeps the cheese spread off your hands. The corn is slathered with a creamy, tangy spread that has a hint of heat. Initially, I wasn't sure I would like it. But that tangy spread coupled with the sweetness of the corn was absolutely perfect. Of course, I had to have another one to make sure I really liked it. I did. And the corn was the perfect compliment to a nice taco. In the end, it's a vegetable you won't have to force anyone to eat. Not even your kids.

Note: Sour cream and feta cheese were used because that's what I had in the house.

Mexican Street Corn
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

6 husked ears of corn
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup Mexican creme or sour cream
1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese
2 medium cloves garlic mined
1/4 cup of cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to season

Directions:
Place corn over medium high heat on a grill or grill pan (if using a pan add a little bit of cooking spray).

Cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes turning occasionally allowing the kernels to char.

While corn is cooking mix mayo, sour cream, cheese, garlic cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder.

Add salt and pepper to taste.
(This is a thicker cheese mixture, for a thinner sauce combine ingredients in a blender for 10 to 20 seconds)

Use a spoon to coat the corn with the cheese mixture.

If you choose, add a little additional cheese and chili powder to finish.

And done!!

What's your favorite street food?

Mama's Potato Salad

There are some holidays that come around and dishes accompany such events. Sometimes it just doesn't seem like it's the holidays with it. Potato salad is one of those dishes that remind me of summer. Memorial Day was created to honor  the men and women who died serving in the U.S. military, for many Americans the holiday kicks off summer. So it's time to make some potato salad.

I've tried and tried and tried to make potato salad but it's never like my momma's. I know what goes in it. I've watched her make it thousands of times but I have never been able to replicate it... until now. Mom sat at the table with me and walked me through it. Come join us.


Mama's Potato Salad

Makes  8 servings

2 1/2 pounds of potatoes (peeled & cut into quarters)
2 celery stalks (minced)
1/4 large yellow onion (minced)
1/4 cup red pepper (minced)
3 boiled eggs (chopped)
1 cup of mayo
1 teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 cup of sweet & tangy relish
1/8 spicy brown mustard
Green onion - garnish


Directions: 

Cover potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Boil potatoes for 12 to 18 minutes or until tender
(cooking times varies based on the size of your quartered potato).

Once finished, drain water and place potatoes in fridge to cool.

Boil eggs in water for 12 minutes.

Remove eggs and place in fridge to cool.

Combine mayo, salt, black pepper, paprika, relish and spicy brown mustard in a large bowl.

Combine potatoes, red pepper, celery, eggs and onion in a large bowl.

 Mix mayo mixture and potato mixture thoroughly but don't over mix.

Serve chilled and enjoy with your favorite main dish. If you're lucky, something off of the grill.

Rosemary & Olive Oil Biscuits

Have you ever had a taste for something? And you've eaten this and that but it just doesn't hit the spot? That's been my issue lately. I've had a rosemary craving. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it is what it is. I wanted something with rosemary. For a while I didn't care what it was. I put rosemary on meat. Then I wanted rosemary bread. I decided to indulge in a turkey sandwich on rosemary bread, but it didn't do it for me. Then since the holidays were coming I thought I would try make some southern drop biscuits but with rosemary and oil. That was another fail.

Of course, if at first you don't succeed try again. And so I did. This recipe is very similar to a muffin recipe I make. I was excited when I first took it out of the oven. I was expecting this savory muffin the would be fluffy and fall apart like a perfect muffin would. But first it had to be approved. My excitement was short lived when my husband told me I couldn't call it a muffin. I had gone through all of these failed attempts and I was so sure I had gotten it right this time. I was actually going for more of a muffin texture, that why I added sour cream. But in the end it didn't work out. Oh well, I'll tweak the recipe a bit and see what happens. Despite that, I love this recipe. It tastes great. And so, I'm keeping it.


Rosemary &Olive Oil Biscuits
Makes 6-8 large biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary (chopped fine)
1 large egg
1 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup of olive oil
*garnish: course kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and fresh rosemary thoroughly.

In a second bowl, mix egg, sour cream and olive oil.

Little by little add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.

Mix completely.

Grease muffin pan and fill half way with mixture.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.

Once out of the oven sprinkle with some course kosher salt.

Just for kicks, I'm going to slice this baby in half and put a sausage patty with egg and cheese on it. That should be good. How are you going to eat your biscuit?

Mini Mac & Cheese

Roll apple roll. It's a conversation I've had often with my friends. How we are so much like our parents or how our children are like us. My mini me is exactly like me. That's why I call him mini me. We are alike in so many ways. We even like the same foods. So it's no surprise that he loves cheese. If left to our own devices we would probably eat grapes and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's something I picked up from my mother and that my mini has picked up from me.

So as the cold weather rolls in, I wanted to make my mini me a favorite to bring to school for lunch. And what dish has enough cheese to please mini me ... mac and cheese. I love old school mac and cheese. There's something about lots of cheese baked into noodles that says I love you. But I've been making stove top mac and cheese because I've needed something quickly. Can't keep mini me waiting for food. But today I cut out a bit of time so he can enjoy this baked dish at school. This dish is a combo of everything I love about baked mac and cheese as well as stove top mac and cheese. It baked and gooey with a cheese sauce. I mean who doesn't love a cheese sauce. Talk about comfort!!

Mini Mac & Cheese

Makes 12

Ingredients:
4 ounces of elbow noodles
1 egg
2 ounces of cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 ounces of monterey jack cheese(shredded)
2 ounces of parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of flour
2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of milk

½ teaspoon of salt

⅛ ground black pepper
bread Crumbs -Optional
salt and pepper to taste

Tools: Wire Whisk (A wire whisk works better with this cheese sauce) and cupcake pan.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cup cake pan with oil.

Over medium heat, bring 3 quarts of water in a pot to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.

Once boiling, add the elbow noodles and cook for 6 minutes. Place noodles in a strainer and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat melt butter.

Once butter has completely melted, add flour and stir thoroughly. The flour will begin to brown. Keep stirring.

Add some ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.

Stir in milk and slowly add cheese. Whisk as you add cheese.

Add noodles. Use a spoon or spatula to make sure noodles are completely covered with cheese mixture.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Remove cheese and noodle mixture from heat.

Whisk egg in a separate bowl then add to the cheese and noodle mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Add 1/2 cup of the mac and cheese mixture to each cup.

Place cupcake tin in oven and bake for 15 to 20 mins. The edges of the mac and cheese will become slightly browned.

Let the mini mac and cheese cool for about 5 minutes.

These were supposed to be part of mini me's lunch but were such as success there was nothing left. Guess I'll be making more of these before the week is over. Hope it goes as fast in your house.