Upside-Down Jalapeño Cornbread

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RediscoverLaMorena #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

My love for cornbread stems back to my childhood. During the school year, my mother would prepare a simple box recipe that became a favorite, and as I began to dabble in the kitchen, I started making my own version from scratch. Even from scratch, cornbread is one of those dishes that can be prepared easily with just a few ingredients. The result…warm, fragrant, and delicately sweet, is a moist bread that can be paired with a variety of foods.

Cornbread’s versatility lends itself well to variation. I’ve added everything from blueberries and cranberries, to cheddar cheese and scallions. Today’s Upside-Down Jalapeño Cornbread is the perfect fusion of sweet and savory flavors. I started with a simple cornbread recipe and added sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, and diced LA MORENA® Whole Jalapeños. To create that beautiful “upside-down” look, I grilled fresh red bell pepper and layered it on a cast iron pan with additional sliced Jalapeños. I poured the cornbread batter over the bell peppers and Jalapeños, then baked it until golden brown. The result was a rich, beautiful, cornbread with delicate spicy kick.

I have to stop for a minute and alert you to the fact that I don’t have a high tolerance for spicy foods. While I am Puerto Rican, our food is traditionally well-seasoned with bold flavors and less spicy than dishes prepared by other Latin cultures. So I can assure you that despite the fact that I used an entire can of LA MORENA® Whole Jalapeños, it is still only mild to moderately spicy.

#VivaLaMorenaSweepstakes(7/19 to 8/23)

While you will likely find most of the recipe ingredients in your pantry, I wanted to point out that I found LA MORENA® Whole Jalapeños at my local Food 4 Less Store. For over 40 years, LA MORENA® has sought to offer products that help families incorporate the flavor and traditions of Mexico into their dishes. Peppers are a key ingredient in Mexican cuisine, adding depth and flavor to a variety of dishes. To help you rediscover LA MORENA®, the brand is hosting a sweepstakes where you could win o over $4700 in prizes including a HERO5 GoPro.

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Upside-Down Jalapeño Cornbread

This Upside-Down Jalapeño Cornbread is easy to put together and the result is a beautiful, decadent dish that you'll want to show off this summer. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/2 cup green onions diced
• 1 7 oz can LA MORENA® Whole Jalapeños sliced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper sliced

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F

2. Sauté bell pepper in 1 tsp of olive oil until soft

3. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl

   
   

   
   

   
   

4. Add buttermilk, melted butter, and egg to dry ingredients and stir to combine (do not over-mix)

5. Stir in cheese, diced green onions and 2/3 of sliced jalapeños

6. Prepare cast iron skillet with butter or cooking spray

7. Layer sliced bell peppers and jalapeños on bottom of skillet

8. Pour batter over bell peppers and jalapeños

9. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean

10. Run knife around edge of cornbread 

11. Allow cornbread to cool 10 minutes

12. Place plate over skillet, and carefully flip over. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

I enjoyed this cornbread straight from the oven, however, you could easily top or serve it with with additional sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.

Coming soon! Our summer adventures have taken us to the extremes of both the dessert and the beach. Stay tuned to find out where LA MORENA® is taking me this summer on Instagram!

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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