Green Chile Cornbread

Our perfect spring weather has turned rainy and cold once again. I have decided to make the best of it and am starting this week's dinners off right with a cozy bean soup tonight and some yummy green chile cornbread.

I love making cornbread, it's just so simple and delicious. The flavor is rather neutral on its own, other than its inherent 'corny- ness', so it lends itself to a wide variety of mix-ins. Just change the flavor to suit your meal. I made it a couple of weeks ago with sundried tomatoes, basil, and fontina. Tonight I'm making it with green chiles and shredded jack to suit my mexican inspired dinner. Every which way you can dream up would be equally delicious. Do let me know what flavor combinations you come up with!

Green Chile Cornbread:

Yields 1, 9x9x2 square pan

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup cornmeal (use medium grind here, not corn flour but not polenta)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 TB baking powder

2 TB sugar

1 large egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil (canola or rice bran oil preferred)

1 cup lowfat buttermilk

1/4 cup milk

3 TB unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen and not defrosted)

1, 2.25 oz can diced mild green chiles, drained

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the baking pan and line with parchment.

2) In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, oil, buttermilk, and milk. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. Drizzle in the melted butter and fold gently to combine. Stir in the cheese, green chiles, and corn. Combine all the ingredients thoroughly but take care not to overmix.

3) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out to level surface. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.