Estelle’s Cheesy Mexican Cornbread

This recipe comes from my Aunt Estelle who is one of the most colorful characters in our family. She’s a big lady with a strong southern drawl, who lives in rural Mississippi and knows just about everyone in town. She’s also a mighty fine cook. One of the best. Granted, most of her dishes are thick with butter, cream and cheese, but even so, the woman has serious skills. I remember pining for her cooking when I was a child and asking my mother when could we go visit Aunt (pronounced “aint”) Estelle again. She made the best butter beans and fried fish. On one occasion, I remember she whipped up a lemon meringue pie from scratch without following a recipe card. She did it just like that, because she could. Trips to her house were filled with good food.

This cornbread was served often during our visits. When I finally got Aunt Estelle to send me the recipe, my jaw dropped at the ingredient list. No calorie is spared. It’s almost like she sought to make the most decadent cornbread she could conjure. But it’s without a doubt the best cornbread I’ve ever tasted. And I don’t feel guilty about making it from time to time.

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
1 can creamed corn (8 to 10 oz)
1/2 pound sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1 chopped onion (I used about 3/4 of an onion)
2 chopped jalapenos (use 1 for less heat)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, oil, salt, baking soda and eggs.

Add in the cheese.

 

Next, stir in the onions, peppers and corn. Mix well.

 

Coat the skillet with oil and heat until smoking hot. Then, add the cornmeal mixture and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 min. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Serve this with your favorite main and sides. You can get six to eight servings, depending on how you slice it. I tend to go big, eating mainly cornbread and little else.

Other posts you may enjoy:

1. Fried Cornbread
2. Spicy Cheesy Corn Muffins
3. Cheesy Apple and Onion Soup
4. Mexican Black Bean and Cheese Dip
5. Cheesy Grits Casserole

Tagged as: cheese, cheesy cornbread, cornbread, jalapenos, mexican cornbread, onions, peppers, spicy cornbread, vegetarian