Melt In Your Mouth Jalapeno Cornbread (Really)

Well it's been forever since we've been in touch with you all!  What can I say...life gets busy sometimes. The recipe I'm (Annette) sharing with you today is a TRUE family favorite.  Beth loves loves loves it when I make this cornbread for her.  She's not as big of a cornbread fan as I am, but, makes exception when it comes to this recipe.

First, I have to give you a little background story.  As Beth and I have told you in previous conversations, we originally came from the country.  Cornbread was a big staple in our household.  I learned how to make it homemade when I was 11 years old. I'm 8 years older than Beth, so many nights I cooked our dinner when we came in from school. The poor child had many nights of cornbread and black-eyed peas, canned from our garden. It's a wonder she will even entertain the thought of cornbread cooking in her presence.  Anyway, she's always excited when I whip up a pan of this hot skillet of goodness. One of the biggest tricks to great homemade cornbread is a good, seasoned cast iron skillet.  I have had the same skillet for let's just say many years. ;) When we grew up and left home our Daddy made sure we left with a sharp knife and a cast iron skillet.  Kind of a unique parting gift, but, very normal coming from our sweet Daddy. ;) He made sure we left with something that would be memorable and useful. He was right.
Now this recipe has a few semi-homemade products in it, but, requires a lot of love put into it.  Maybe that's why mine is so good.  I love food a lot! ;) I feel this is a must-do recipe so please give it a try.  Your family and friends will rave over it! Well, here goes! 

 Melt In Your Mouth Jalapeno Cornbread

Ingredients

1 Box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 Bag of Martha White (Gladiola) Mexican Style Cornbread Mix
1 1/3 cup of Buttermilk
2 Lg Eggs
1 can (15 oz) cream style corn
1/4 cup whole kernel corn (I use frozen corn as it seems a little more crisp.)
1 lg finely chopped jalapeno
4-5 cloves thinly sliced garlic (this will literally melt during the cooking process)
8 slices of cooked bacon (I cut the bacon up in small pieces with my scissors and fry them in a small sauce pan.  Then I drain off the excess fat.)

Now for the story...

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl whisk your eggs and buttermilk together. Then add your 2 cornbread mixes and combine until it's fairly smooth (it will have a few lumps in it).

Add your garlic, cream style corn, whole kernel corn, jalapeno and bacon to your bowl.  Take a paper towel and generously grease your cast iron skillet.  Pour your cornbread mixture into your skillet and cook for approximately 25 minutes or until top is good and brown.  When you take it out of the oven let it rest for about 5-6 minutes before you cut it.

Voila!

I sure hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!  It's one of those recipes that goes with lots of different meals, and as my Daddy would say...it will stick to your ribs! LOL! I certainly hope to hear how you all enjoyed the cornbread.  Please take some time and let us hear what you think.
As always, Beth and I hope you and your family have an awesome week! Please take that much-needed time to sit down at the table and enjoy good food and conversation with the ones you love the most.  Until next time...

Our Favorite Green Enchiladas

Hello and Howdy Everyone!

Well I woke up to a very cold day with some "nice" sleet mixed in.  Love the cold and cloudy days, but not so excited about the sleet part.  Most Texans are not typically known for they're incredible driving abilities on days like today! ;)  At least not so much in a large city like I live in.  In all fairness though, we are not really used to a lot of snow, ice, and sleet in our part of the country. I could get into my inner feelings about that subject, but don't want you to see that side of me yet.  You know...the road rage part of my "sweet" personality. lol   Uh oh..caught myself doing a little rambling again! :)

Today I thought would be a perfect day to cook one of my family's favorite dishes.  This recipe I'm sharing is actually a recipe that's been in my family for years.  The last time Beth came to visit I made her some and let's just say it made her happy.  She's definitely an easy person to please, and I really like to make her happy! Coming from West Texas we love Mexican food! The recipes I prepare are typically known as Tex-Mex.  A mix between authentic Mexican with a little Texas flair. Duh, I know, right?  Anyway I hope you enjoy this family favorite as much as we do! So here goes!

Our Favorite Green Enchiladas

Ingredients

2 lbs of ground beef browned and drained
1 lg (2 lb) box of Velveeta cheese cut up into medium size pieces
1 12 oz can Carnation milk
1 10 3/4oz can Cream of Chicken soup
1 7oz jar of chopped pimentos
1 7oz can of chopped green chillies
1 lg sweet onion chopped
1 pkg of longhorn cheese shredded
24 corn tortillas
Vegetable Cooking Oil

You will need to start off  preparing the sauce as it's a little time consuming, and you can be getting your other elements prepared in the mean time.  In a double boiler combine your Velveeta cheese, Carnation milk, Cream of Chicken soup, pimentos, and green chillies. If you don't have a double boiler you can make one by putting water into a large pot and placing a large bowl on top of it.  Bring  the water to a slight boil.  This will melt your sauce evenly without scorching the cheese.  Be sure to stir your cheese mixture off and on to get the mixture incorporated together smoothly.

Let's start rolling up our enchiladas!  First though you will need to prepare your tortillas so they will roll properly and not break.  Put about 1 inch of cooking oil in a medium skillet and get it very hot. Using cooking tongs dip your tortillas into the oil quickly.  In and out.  Place on a plate that has paper towels on it.  That will absorb any extra oil.

You will place your enchiladas in a 9x13 casserole dish.  Take a small amount of the prepared cheese sauce and cover the bottom of your dish before you place your enchiladas on it.  Take 1 tortilla and fill with a small amount of the ground beef, onion and grated longhorn cheese. Gently roll it up and place in your casserole dish seam side down. Continue this process until your dish is full.

Pour your sauce over the top of the prepared enchiladas. Make sure you cover the dish completely with the sauce or they will be dry.

Put your dish into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Note:  I typically double this recipe and make 2 pans, as this recipe freezes very well.  I also will surprise a friend with a pan of these wonderful enchiladas occasionally!  Do I know how to make friends or what? ;)

Voila!

I feel you will be seeing many more Mexican inspired recipes from Beth and me in the future, as we both love to cook and eat this type of food a lot. We have so many memories from the time we were small to present in regards to our love for Mexican food.  We look forward to sharing some of our stories with all of you in the future. We hope you will take time tonight to sit down at your table with your loved ones and enjoy food and conversation together.  We all live in such a rush each day sometimes not taking the time to enjoy one another. Please "make" time for your family this evening. As always, it's been fun and a pleasure to share with you!  Have a wonderful day and week!!

Always in Our PJs,
Annette & Beth