Spicy Chili and Mexican Cornbread
Spicy Chili, cold weather, and football (or at least the Superbowl)!!! Can we say Touchdown!!! I’m not all that fond of cold weather. Thankfully, I live in an area of Idaho that has relatively mild winters. A few days of zero or below and minimal snow. Also, I’m not a big football fan; but, I do watch the Superbowl…for the commercials, of course. In spite of all that, I do love a spicy chili. Pair it with your favorite cornbread recipe and achieve perfection!!! Cook it in a slow cooker and achieve even greater perfection!!!
Spicy Chili and Cornbread ~ A Perfect Combination!!!
This is one of my favorite chili recipes: Brown 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground pork sausage in a large skillet for about 8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles while it cooks. Drain to remove as much grease as possible and then transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients in any order: 2 16 oz. cans of Kidney beans and 2 16 oz. cans of pinto beans, all rinsed and drained; 2 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies and 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with onions, all undrained; 1 12 oz. can of beer (should be a lager); 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled; 1 small onion, chopped; 1/4 cup of pickled jalapeno slices, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 cup of chili powder, 2 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp dried basil, and 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Top with shredded cheese, more jalapenos, sour cream, green onions or any of your favorite toppings.
Some Personal Tips ~ Spicy Chili
When cooking the chili, I coat the inside of the slow cooker with a cooking spray to make cleanup a bit easier. On another note, this recipe serves 12 and makes roughly 3 quarts of chili. So, be sure to invite your friends to share this delicious chili or count on left overs.
Mexican Cornbread & Spicy Chili
Easy Mexican Cornbread (one of my favorite cornbread recipes): Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch square baking pan. In a large mixing bowl combine 2 cups cornmeal, 1/3 cup melted shortening, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1.5 teaspoons of salt, 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. In another bowl whisk the eggs and the buttermilk together. Then add these to the dry ingredient mixture and mix until just blended. Add 1 8 oz. can of cream-style corn, 1 4 oz. can chopped green chili peppers and 1/4 cup of minced jalapeno peppers, if desired. Stir to blend everything together. Pour half of this mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Pour the remaining batter over the cheese and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until set and the edges are lightly browned. Serve and enjoy!!!
Tips For Crustier Cornbread and Yummy Variations!!!
This moist cornbread is one of my favorites things to have with a bowl of chili or a big bowl of beans. A quick tip for a crustier cornbread: use a cast iron skillet greased with shortening. Heat the skillet in the oven and then add the batter to the hot skillet. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
Here are some amazing variations to “spice” up the cornbread: Use a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses or a Mexican blend with or without hot peppers. Add 4 strips of cooked and crumbled bacon to the batter or to the first layer of shredded cheese. Add about 1/2 cup of cooked and crumbled fresh chorizo sausage or mild sweet Italian sausage to the first layer of cheese. Or, add about 1/2 to 1 cup of drained and cooked corn kernels for extra color and texture. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
Serve an Amazing Wine to Make This a Special Dinner!!!
To make this simple meal of chili and cornbread an amazing, special meal. Thanks to my amazing wine of the month club, I know the best wine to serve with chili is a hearty wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon. Therefore, I’m serving it with a fantastic bottle of Smith & Sons 2016 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon. I got this wonderful bottle of wine delivered right to my front door from my incredible wine of the month club.
When poured into a glass, this amazing Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark garnet color. When sticking your nose into the glass (it’s a wine thing), you get aromas of oak spices, blue and blackberries, and blackcurrants. This dark fruit medley mingles with a dusting of scorched earth along with French Vanilla and cinnamon.
If you are interested in getting more recipes like these two, join us every Wednesday night at 6:30 pm Mountain Time for The Wine and Dine Show!!
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