Another wonderful thing I have discovered since moving to the South is cornbread. I absolutely love cornbread! I love to eat it warm with butter. I love the crispy edges on the outside, and the buttery, tender texture inside. The addition of cheese and jalapeños give this sweet bread just the right amount of saltiness and heat. This is perfect to serve along with your favorite bbq meat. It also works well with soups, chilis and stews, or simply warm and topped with butter. I like to make it in a muffin tin. For me this is the perfect portion size. Cornbread is quick and easy to make, but you must be careful not to over mix the batter. Over mixing can cause a tough and dry cornbread. Feel free to leave out the jalapeños if you do not like the hint of spice.

Ingredients (for 12 muffins):

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup + 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup grape seed oil
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 tbsp grated parmesan
• 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF degrees. 
• Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, melted butter, eggs, and oil. Mix until blended.
• Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir just until moistened. 
• Fold in the cheeses and jalapeños.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan, filling each cup almost to the top. 
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
• Remove muffins from tin immediately, and let cool slightly before serving.