Southwestern Cornbread Casserole

Finished casserole

This recipe will provide your family with a hardy fall meal with plenty for left-overs.  Spice it up or tone it down.  Use shredded beef, chicken, pork, hamburger, or left over turkey.  It is a great way to use whatever you have on hand and create a delicious meal.

Grinding Corn

We love cornbread made from fresh-ground corn or popcorn using my WonderMill. I use the “course” setting to get a bit more texture from the corn.  Use your favorite cornbread recipe for this casserole or the one I have posted that is adapted from a recipe in The Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon.

If you wish a thinner layer of cornbread, cut down the cornbread recipe by 1/3 to 1/2.  I use melted lard in the bottom of a hot skillet because we like a crispy crust.  We store powdered buttermilk and use it for cornbread instead of regular buttermilk which I rarely have in the refrigerator.  You may adjust the sugar up or down depending on how sweet you like cornbread.

Ingredients

I created the filling using some ingredients we had available from the garden (chili peppers, garlic, egg from my chickens), the freezer (left-over chuck roast), and the pantry.  I used cans of corn, enchilada sauce and black beans.  If I had more time, I would have cooked dried black beans.

If you or your family prefer your food without any hot peppers, replace the chili peppers with green and red bell peppers.  You can also use tomato sauce instead of enchilada sauce, although you may want to add some additional herbs for flavor.

I used cheddar cheese and queso blanco (Mexican white cheese) because that is what I had available.  Other cheeses may be substituted or added such as Jack Cheese.

I baked the cornbread separately while heating all the ingredients for the filling using a 13″ cast iron skillet.

Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread base

1 1/2 cups fresh-ground cornmeal

1/2 cup fresh-ground Prairie Gold hard white wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cultured buttermilk blend powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups water (or 1 1/4 cups buttermilk deleting the buttermilk powder above.)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 small cans diced green chili peppers (optional)

2 tablespoons lard (or coconut oil, bacon drippings, vegetable oil)

1. Preheat the oven and cast iron skillet with the 2 tablespoons of lard to 375°.
2. Sift or blend together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk powder. (I use a wire whip.)
3. In a smaller bowl, stir the baking soda into the water. Whisk in the sugar, egg, oil and canned peppers.
4. DO NOT MIX WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO PUT IT IN THE OVEN.
5. Remove the hot skillet from the oven and tilt to coat the bottom and sides with the lard.
6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine them quickly, using as few strokes as possible.  Quickly scrape the batter into the skillet and bake until the cornbread is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Casserole Filling

Meat filling heating in skillet

2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

1 large onion, diced

3 large chili peppers, diced

1-2 jalapeno peppers, small diced

2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 lbs cooked shredded beef (or chicken, pork, hamburger, turkey)

1 tablespoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1 15 oz can corn, drained

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

2-3 10 oz cans red enchilada sauce (Green sauce is good with chicken.)

3-4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, queso blanco, etc.)

1. Heat oil in large skillet.  Add diced onions and peppers to cook over medium heat until soft.  Add garlic and heat for 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until all ingredients are hot.
3. 

   Before going in oven

   Spread hot meat filling over baked cornbread.  Cover with shredded cheese.

4. Put the skillet of cornbread and filling in 400° oven.  Bake until cheese melts and starts to bubble about 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let the casserole set for 5 or 10 minutes.  Slice and serve with sour cream, sliced green onions, or diced chili peppers.