The blog hiatus is over…I now work normal hours again and have time to do things like cook and write!

This week, my husband once again nudged me to enter a cooking contest–this time a really fun neighborhood event–and I won a “peoples’ choice award”! About the event: Every year, a group of fun and eclectic neighbors gather to see whether whose cornbread recipe wins top prize. Back in 2012, we happened upon this group, and I entered and won the peoples’ choice award.  This year I won in this category again! The peoples’ choice category is fun–it has fewer rules about what can go in it (the other category is “traditional” cornbread), it is judged by everyone, and the people signal for their choice with jelly beans!

So what makes this recipe special? Good butter, yogurt, and jalapeno. Let me start by saying that the recipe’s base is a recipe by butter queen Paula Deen. In true Paula fashion, it has lots of butter. 

If you have read any of my other posts, you know that I don’t follow recipes slavishly.  So what did I change?

• I made the butter that goes in it myself! 
• I used honey instead of sugar. And the honey is local–made at our community garden
• I used purple cornmeal (it’s what I had). It turns out a wee bit purply-grey…and when mixed with jalapeno it didn’t look as beautiful as it could have, so if you want to use yellow instead, go for it)
  
• I used yogurt instead of buttermilk
• Credit for this next idea goes to my husband–blend up jalapeno and some scallions with the yogurt . I did, and it spread out the taste without too much of a kick. winner!
• I put scallions into the batter, too

The ingredients

• 7 T butter melted (In grams I used about 88g). plus another 1/2-1 T to put on top.
• 1 C Cornmeal
• 3/4 C all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup habanero or pepper jack cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 jalapeno (you can use more if you like it spicy. I just wanted the hint)
• 3 green onions/scallions
• 2 T honey (i started with 1 and thought it didn’t have enough)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups yogurt (you can use buttermilk, too)

The Method

1. Preheat your oven to 425. Line a square 8×8 pan/ round baking pan/ or a cast iron skillet with parchment paper and rub with oil or spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix up your cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt
3. In a blender, blend up the yogurt, jalapeno and 1/2 of your scallions until you have a smooth mixture. It’ll be green.
4. Crack your eggs into the bowl and lightly beat them. Add in your melted butter and mix. It’ll be dry.
5. Add your yogurt mixture tho the bowl.  Mix well. Add in your cheese and the scallions.
6. Pop it into the oven for 20-25 mins (mine needed the full 25 mins). Test doneness with a knife.
7. I topped my baked cornbread with a little butter and let it melt.