Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

Somehow, we’ve made it to November already and Thanksgiving is less than 3 weeks away. I don’t know about you, but food is on my mind…all the time. It’s a foodie’s holiday. I enjoy the turkey, especially if it’s fried, but it’s the side dishes I daydream about. I plan on sharing some of my favorites in the next couple of weeks. First up, this cheesy, mildly spicy Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread.

Did you know that historians believe that turkey was not eaten at the first Thanksgiving? The more likely meats were venison, goose, and duck. Turkey didn’t take center stage at the American Thanksgiving table until about 250 years after the first Thanksgiving.  You can thank Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of a popular women’s magazine in the 1830’s called Godey’s Lady’s Book. She published Thanksgiving menus and recipes featuring roasted turkey and many of the popular Thanksgiving side dishes we enjoy today. She also campaigned for many years for Thanksgiving to be a national holiday and in 1863, in the midst of the Civil War and as a call for unity between the North and the South, President Abraham Lincoln heard her voice and declared the last Thursday in November a national day of Thanksgiving. Thanks Sarah!

While fighting between the North and South ended years ago, there is still some lingering animosity going on: The Cornbread Wars. Northern Cornbread vs Southern Cornbread. Northern-style cornbread is usually made with a combination of yellow corn meal and flour. It is a bit sweet and cake-like. Southern cornbread, on the other hand, is typically made with less flour, white cornmeal, and little to no sugar. What side are you on?

My sweet tooth automatically puts me on the Northern side, which is where this recipe leans, since it contains a few tablespoons of sugar and a combination of flour and yellow corn meal. But, don’t worry Southern cornbread lovers – it is easily adaptable by just reducing the amount of sugar to 2 tablespoons. Let’s all get along.

This is a straightforward and easy recipe. It comes together in under one hour, including baking time. There’s no need for a mixer and requires just one large bowl for dry ingredients and one medium bowl for wet ingredients. The wet and dry are then mixed together and shredded cheese is added into the batter and sprinkled on top (my favorite part). If you enjoy spicy foods, leave some of the white membrane attached when you mince the jalapeños, since this is the spiciest part. I usually remove both the seeds and the membrane for only a mild kick. Cooks Country, where this recipe is from (slightly modified), advises against pickled minced jalapeños as they carry too much heat with the quantities listed in this recipe.

This easy and tasty Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread is a nice change from traditional versions and would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving meal. Top it with whatever you like. I slathered mine with butter and drizzled a little honey over it. Enjoy!