Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

This is a delicious cornbread recipe that will make for a great side dish. Pair with a rack of ribs like I did in my 72 Hour Sous Vide Ribs or with a hearty soup like chili. Whatever the occasion this simple and cheap cornbread recipe will be sure to impress. An easy twist on a classic Americana recipe. 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 cups of yellow cornmeal 
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk, shaken
• 2 jalapenos
• 1 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded and divided 

Directions

Place 12" cast iron skill in oven and pre-heat the oven to 450°F

First, slice the top off the jalapeno and seed. Then slice 6 jalapeno rings to top the cornbread with, medium dice the rest of the jalapeno. Mix together the dry ingredients and set aside. Whisk the egg and buttermilk together, then mix in with the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the jalapeno's and 1 cup of shredded cheddar, do not over mix. 

Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and carefully butter the pan (on the bottom and the sides). Pour the batter into the cast iron skillet, top with jalapeno rings and the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test (toothpick should come out dry when cornbread is poked). It should be brown on the top and pulling away from the sides of the skillet. 

Grilled Turkey Apple Cheddar

This is definitely one of my favorite sandwiches to make, especially in the fall when apple's are in their prime. We have a fruit farm here called Way Fruit Farm which is probably one of my favorite places to get fresh fruit, vegetables and meats. Not to mention, they make some of the best apple cider I have ever had! This is a very simple sandwich and it will be sure to impress with all of its great flavors. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 8 Slices of artisan bread, 1/2" thick, cut on the bias 
• 4 to 5 Tablespoons of margarine 
• 1/4 cup apple butter
• Sriracha, if desired
• 1 pound deli turkey
• 1/2 Apple, thinly sliced
• 8 slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Spread each of 4 slices of bread with 1/2 tablespoon of butter. If desired, mix the apple butter and 1-2 tsp sriracha together in a bowl. With butter side down, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon of the apple butter. Top each slice of bread with a slice of cheddar, couple of slices of turkey, 3 or 4 slices of apple and then top with another slice of cheddar. Spread the remaining 4 bread slices with 1/2 tablespoon of butter and lay them, buttered sides up, over the cheese; press gently.

Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add as many sandwiches as will comfortably fit (either 2 or 4) and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Flip and cook 2 to 3 more minutes to brown the bread. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve hot.

Kitchen Word of the Day

"On the Bias" - Is a phrase used to mean cutting on an angle, at roughly a 45-degree angle. This angled cut created elongated, oval-shaped pieces and makes for more elegant presentation. In the case of baguette slices, it means you can get more surface area on even, thin slices of bread.

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese

How I ironic is this? April is Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month! I love jalapeno poppers, heck I love jalapeno's in general! Then I got the old noggin churning and thinking that it would be so easy to make a Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese. It was really simple and it tasted exactly the way I wanted it to! This just might replace my grilled cheese making forever because it was that good. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 jalapeno, medium dice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 Slices of bread, whatever gets you going
• Margarine 
• Cream Cheese, softened
• 4 Slices of sharp cheddar

Directions

Heat olive oil in a small saute pan and saute the jalapeno's until softened, about 3-5 min. While the jalapeno's are cooking, butter one side of the bread slices. I actually microwaved the cream cheese for like 15 seconds, so it was nice and soft so it didn't rip apart the bread. Put the bread butter side down on a work service and apply cream cheese on all slices of bread. Once jalapeno are soft, evenly distribute them onto each slice of bread. Top with 2 slices of sharp cheddar and grill until golden brown. Cut, plate and enjoy!

 

Cooked bread and cheese is an ancient food, according to food historians, popular across the world in many cultures; evidence indicates that in the U.S., the modern version of the grilled cheese sandwich originated in the 1920s when inexpensive sliced bread and American cheese became easily available. The cheese dream became popular during the Great Depression.

It was originally made as an open sandwich, but the top slice of bread became common by the 1960s. U.S. government cookbooks describe Navy cooks broiling "American cheese filling sandwiches" during World War II. Many versions of the grilled cheese sandwich can now be found on restaurant menus across the United States.

According to Woman's Day, April is "Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month."