First Time with Tomatillos!

Can you believe I've NEVER cooked with Tomatillos before? I mean, sure I've had Salsa Verde but it's always been either at a restaurant or out of a jar. I saw that Tomatillos were on sale and decided it was time to give them a try. I made Simply Recipe's Chile Verde and it came out amazing! Roasting the Tomatillos gave them such a nice smokey flavor and adding the roasted garlic just took them over the top! I swear I could eat that sauce by the spoonful! (Actually, I kinda did eat a few spoonfuls!) I simmered the chili for about 2 hours and the meat was just falling-off-the-bone tender. (Gotta love that pork butt!) I also made Barefoot Contessa's Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread cuz who eats chili without cornbread right? Perfect meal on a Sunday night!

Finally A Sweet Cornbread!

I'm a sucker for Savory Cornbreads with lots of cheese and herbs. Tonight, however, I was craving something sweet so I made a raisin and walnut cornbread. I made it in my trusty cast-iron skillet and it turned out just perfect. Not too sweet and very moist with just the right amount of crunch from the walnuts.

Ingredients:


1-1/3 c all-purpose flour
2/3 c yellow cornmeal (not coarse)
1/3 c sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 c) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1-1/2 c well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c walnuts, coarsely chopped


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.


2. Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together butter, eggs, and buttermilk in another bowl and add to flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in raisins and walnuts.


3. Pour batter into skillet and let stand 10 minutes. Bake in middle of oven until the top is pale golden and a tester comes out clean, approximately 35 minutes. Let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes, then invert to cut and serve.

Baking with Berries and Wishing It's Summer!

The produce that goes on sale is very random around here. It's definitely NOT blackberry season but they're on special so I bought some. Baking with berries always make me think of summer and I totally wish it was June right now and not January! I found this recipe for Blackberry Ricotta Cornbread and thought it would be the perfect treat on my day off. I've never made cornbread with fruit before and the combination was great! I didn't have any corn so I just increased the amount of berries to 1-1/2 cups. The bread wasn't too sweet and really moist from the blackberries. I just love baking in my cast iron for an easy cleanup! Is it summer yet?

First Treat of Cranberry Season!

Although Cranberry Season started in September, I really don't see them in the supermarkets until November, when everyone starts thinking about Thanksgiving and Cranberry Sauce. BUT cranberries can be made into so many different treats other than Sauce and I love experimenting with them. I found this recipe for Cranberry Corn Bread and knew I wanted to give it a try. I halved the recipe to make a 9x5-inch loaf and it only took about 25-30 minutes to bake. I love the slight tartness that the cranberries added and the bread came out incredibly moist. Great breakfast or snack any time of the day!

Another Go-To Cornbread Featuring Tomatoes

My Go-To Cornbread recipe never fails and this one features tomatoes, mushrooms, Mozzarella cheese and parsley. Savory and cheesy, just the way I like them!

I FINALLY Got a Cast Iron Skillet!

I've been wanting a Cast Iron Skillet for a while now but wasn't sure if I really needed one...until now. I saw an Emeril brand at Bed Bath and just couldn't resist. (ESPECIALLY since I also had a coupon!) I tested it out on some Skillet Cornbread and could not be happier with the result! The bread was flavorful and cooked perfectly.

Ingredients: (6 servings)


2 Tbsp butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 c cornmeal (yellow or white)
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg lightly beaten
2 c buttermilk
1/2 c shredded cheese


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 450°F.


2. Heat butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Add bell peppers and sauté until tend, 10 minutes.


3. In a large bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk egg and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour in bell pepper and melted butter. Add cheese and mix until combined.


4. Pour batter into cast iron skillet, bake in oven for 20 minutes. Cornbread should be brown on top and pulling away from the sides of the skillet.