We’re trying something new today: a virtual progressive dinner party! Not familiar with progressive dinners? It is essentially a traveling potluck – each dish is served in a different location, so you are moving from place to place throughout the meal. Since we don’t all live near each other, some blogger friends and I are joining together every month to bring you a full 12 dishes, all fitting within a particular theme, to make a virtual progressive dinner. This month, the theme is “Summer in the South” and is hosted by Lana of Never Enough Thyme.
Now seeing as I’ve lived in the Midwest and Northeast for my entire life, I may not know much about southern cooking. But what I do know is that cornbread is a must. I added in some Greek yogurt to keep the cornbread moist and tender, and threw in some diced jalapeños for a little heat. I’ll definitely be making this again come autumn to go with some chili!
The problem is, I made this the other night when it was just Dan and I. As much as we love cornbread, there was no way we were going to finish off the full 10” skillet worth before it went stale. So, I wrapped up the extras and froze them for later!
This tender cornbread is anything but dry thanks to the Greek yogurt in the batter. The jalapenos add a little bit of heat, but if you'd like more of a kick, feel free to up the amount to 1/3 cup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup diced jalapenos (about 1 jalapeno)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and grease the bottoms and sides of a 10" cast iron skillet or baking pan.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and chili powder.
- Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and stir in the butter, milk, eggs, yogurt and jalapenos until just blended. As soon as there are no dry spots left, you are ready to go.
- Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and bake at 400F for 22-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Here’s how to freeze cornbread:
1. Allow the cornbread to cool completely (and I really do mean completely).
2. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap.
3. Wrap in aluminum foil and tape shut with freezer tape.
4. Label and use within 3 months.
5. To reheat: unwrap the cornbread and remove the plastic wrap. Loosely rewrap in aluminum foil, and heat in a 350F oven until warmed through.
Check out the other dishes on the menu for our Virtual Progressive Dinner Party!
Main Course
Never Enough Thyme – Creole Style Smothered Chicken
Appetizers
The Heritage Cook – Old Bay Shrimp Boil Skewers
Stetted – Fried Green Tomatoes with Smoked Tomato Basil Aioli
Bread
Savvy Eats – Jalapeno Cornbread + How to Store Cornbread
Salads
Miss in the Kitchen – Creamy Coleslaw
Life’s a Feast – Shrimp, Grilled Peach and Quinoa Salad
Soup
Spiceroots – Maque Choux Soup
Sides
Creative Culinary – Bacon and Caramelized Onion Creamed Corn
Pastry Chef Online – Spicy Succotash
Beverage
Healthy. Delicious. – Watermelon Lemonade
Desserts
Barbara Bakes – Key Lime Pound Cake
That Skinny Chick Can Bake – Banana Cream Cheesecake Pie
PS: You could also serve this cornbread with a vegan quinoa corn chowder or a comforting pork & rice soup!
I love cornbread and am fascinated by the addition of yogurt to keep it moist. Brilliant!! You’ve got my mouthwatering now. There is definitely cornbread in my future, LOL!
Enjoy!!
What a great way to change up corn bread. I especially love that you made it more tender with Greek yogurt.
Thanks, Barbara!
Your spicy cornbread sounds amazing, Julie! And thanks for the freezing tips…we always have leftover cornbread and it certainly isn’t as good on day 2 and 3. I will definitely use your advice…and I really need to start labeling, too! So great to be at the table with you today
Glad the freezing tips will be helpful for you!
Great tips on freezing!
Thanks, Christine!
Cornbread is definitely a staple! I had never thought of adding yogurt to keep it moist; great idea!
This cornbread could be the poster child for my transition from living in the south and moving out west. I had lived in NC for ten years when we moved our family to Denver, CO. I loved the type of comfort foods I had grown to know in NC and it was quite the transition from Southern to more Tex Mex.
Not particularly familiar with (nor liking them) I recall vividly the first dish I had with jalapeno peppers. I removed them. Too hot! Two decades in Denver and now instead of removing them I’m more likely to add more and I see that time worn recipes of the south are now also making that same transition…so I just KNOW I would love this dish; it’s so perfect for me now.
I think you could easily add more jalapenos here – or serve it with pickled jalapenos!!
Man, I love cornbread! Yours looks wonderful, especially with the extra moistness from the Greek yogurt! Now I want to add chipotles and cheddar to some cornbread and serve it with chili!
Ooh, chipotle-cheddar cornbread sounds fabulous!
I think that is the best looking corn bread I have seen. Moist and full of flavors. Great recipe, Julie.
Thanks so much, Ansh!
I love spicing up my cornbread with jalapeno peppers! I don’t think I’ve ever actually been “stuck” with any leftover (the two of us have no problem polishing off a batch!) but I’ll keep the storage tips in mind if that ever happens (unlikely. haha)
Haha. You could make a double batch and then freeze the second loaf
I’m going to have to try this recipe. When I make cornbread I generally use mesquite flour in place of the regular flour (since I live in the desert and make flour from the pods on our prolific mesquite trees, I need to find uses for it). Adding the jalapeños and Greek yogurt sound like a great way to make it. I remember cornbread that I learned how to make a zillion years ago that had sour cream, chilies and cheese in it, which was very good. That recipe is long lost, but this one is more in line with how I eat now, and it nutritionally much better, so I’m looking forward to trying it. I will use mesquite flour, because I like what it does for the flavor. I’m also glad you provided information on properly freezing it, because I always have too much when I make it.
Having lived my whole life in the Midwest or Northeast, I’ve never tried mesquite flour! I bet it would be good here, though!
This is a very nice cornbread, and the mesquite flour sealed the deal for us. I subbed mesquite for full mount of the all purpose flour (normally you sub only 20-25%). It came out great. It has also occurred to me that some chopped cilantro would be nice in this cornbread. I served it with a pork chops marinated in BBQ sauce (homemade) and grilled, and a tossed salad. Yum!
So glad you enjoyed it – the cilantro sounds like a great addition!
My boys would go crazy for this. I make cornbread at least once a week and I am trying this out asap!
Hope you like it!
Great way to jazz up cornbread with yogurt and jalapeno! Yum.
Thanks Lana. And thanks for hosting this month!
hi savy first time here.such a wonderful idea and the bread looks super moist there
Thanks, Ramya!
The first thing about this Progressive Eats is getting to know new blogs and bloggers that I didn’t really know before…. like you! Yay! And yes to cornbread, no matter where in the south you live. I love it but haven’t made it in years. I love your addition of yogurt!
Thanks Jamie!