Adventures in Corn Bread

Just in case your husband made a massive pot of venison chili, ready and waiting for you when you walked in the door after work (the chili, not the husband *wink wink*) and you want to make jalapeño cheddar cornbread but find that you are all out of all types of flour except for rye flour (how did THAT happen?) and it’s cold and sleeting outside making a trip to the grocery store seem not so appealing so you decide to go ahead and make cornbread anyway but sub in rye for AP flour...if this happens to you, just know that the corn bread may look a little funny, but it will taste fine.


I adore cornbread and I've tried many variations, but my go-to recipe is right on the back of the Quaker cornmeal container. I always go back to this. Cut off a warm hunk straight from the oven and let a slather of butter melt in – heaven.

Here’s the recipe to peruse at your leisure - rye flour substitution completely optional.

And PS - for the record, that's my beer. Hubby drank water. I'm a bad influence.

Easy Corn Bread
Want corn muffins instead? Just pour batter into muffin tins and bake 15-20 mins.

1 and 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. corn meal
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 8" or 9" square pan. Combine dry ingredients. Stir in milk, oil, and egg, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened (don't overmix). Pour batter into pan, bake 20-25 mins or until light golden brown. Serve warm.

Jalapeño cheddar variation: Follow recipe above, reducing sugar by half. Roast 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers under broiler until blackened, turning to roast all sides. Carefully remove from broiler and place in shallow bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15 mins. Peel blackened skin off peppers. Cut open and remove seeds; discard skin and seeds. Chop roasted peppers and mix in corn bread batter with 1 to 2 cups shredded cheese.