I kissed a lot of cornbread frogs before I landed on this perfect Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread. This cornbread has crispy edges, a super moist crumb, flavorful (thanks to the cheese, cornmeal and jalapeño), it’s a teeny bit sweet and is delicious for days after.
Before we dive in, let’s discuss what I love and want from cornbread.
Cornbread History!
Cornbread history has it that it first started with Native Americans grinding corn into cornmeal and mixing it with water and cooking it over a fire. It was simple back then. It evolved over time; people added buttermilk, leavening, pork fat, salt…all the good things. They often times cooked it on a gardening hoe, over an open flame, hence the name “hoe cake.”
Say hello to my cheesy dreams: Pretzel Tot Queso Fundido.
Here’s what makes up this glorious cast iron skillet:
– Pretzel tots on the outside of the skillet. – In the center, there is a cheese dip full of pickled jalapeños from Rio Luna.
Sounds simple enough but it’s absolutely glorious. For this post, I teamed up with Rio Luna Organic Peppers. The queso fundido in the center honestly didn’t need much because these pickled jalapeños are so flavorful and delicious.
Another plus: Rio Luna Peppers and Chiles are certified organic, GMO-free and kosher. They’ve also been used by professional chefs for years. To make the peppers, Rio Luna works with trusted growing partners who utilize key sustainability practices such as drip irrigation, recycling initiatives and crop rotation to cultivate the best possible chiles and peppers in the most responsible way.
Thanksgiving is merely a few weeks away and we gotta get ready! Today I couldn’t be more excited to share these Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes with you all. They’re buttery, peppery, slightly tart and utterly perfect.
For this post, I teamed up with Le Creuset!! Woohoo! I have always loved my Le Creuset cookware and have used it all up on this blog over and over and over again. Le Creuset is truly my kitchen ally. I love it for numerous reasons but here are just a few:
– My Le Creuset cookware is incredibly multi-functional. I use the Dutch ovens to make everything from arroz con pollo to soups to—in this case—boiling potatoes. – Since Le Creuset is so beautiful, it’s easy to take it from oven or stove directly to the table. – The enamel coating on the inside of their cookware make them super easy to clean. A few light scrubs and BOOM…squeaky clean, looking like new!
In this post, I’m using their gorgeous Dutch oven in the color Truffle. And while I absolutely think it’s possible to put the Dutch oven on the table, it was a bit dark inside and wasn’t photographing the way I wanted so I transferred it to the 2 1/4-quart braiserin Persimmon.
These fall colors are a gorgeous addition to my Thanksgiving autumnal table.
I think it’s time to jump into the mood!
What is Cacio e Pepe?
Let’s tackle the basics: Cacio e Pepe which literally translates to “cheese and pepper.” It’s a dish that hails from Rome, italy and it’s typically super simple. It involves a bucatini pasta tossed in a simple sauce of Pecorino Romano, black pepper, salt and starch water from boiling the pasta. It’s ridiculously simple but like all simple dishes, the technique and precision is everything.
