Buttermilk Chive cornbread with Sirloin Chili

This Sunday was the perfect weather for Chili and cornbread.   It was cold and rainy, the kind of day all you want to do is snuggle under the blankets while something warm was cooking in the oven.   I remember as a kid experimenting with different ingredients to make a good chili for my parents. There was definitely alot of trials and errors, but at least most of them them were ediable. :-) As for the cornbread, I was young so the only thing I knew was the Libby cornbread mixes they sold at the store. (Cornbread was not a Mexican staple). But even with those I was never satisfied with the outcome and would add more butter or some real corn to improve the flavor.   How was i to know back then, that homemade cornbread was just as easy to make as a box of Libby cornbread and tasted a heck of alot better!  And who doesn’t love a good cornbread with some butter on in it, Hmmmmm… yummy.  Cornbread is my recipe for this week’s blog, but since the chili came out so darn good, I thought I would share that recipe also with you too. The cornbread has a nice sweetness and texture.  The chives add the savory element that is sometimes missing in cornbread.  This cornbread recipe is far from dry.  Very moist, even the day after making it.  As for the chili , it speaks for itself.  Chunky sirloin in a rich sauce filled with flavor.  The aroma as you are making it is amazing! I pretty sure you could probably do this as a vegetarian dish by adding more bean and it would be just as good.  The special Chili spice mixture is what makes it!   Happy Cooking everone

Buttermilk Chive Cornbread

Ingredients

½ cup butter

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

1 cup buttermilk

½ teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup frozen corn (defrosted)

3 tablespoons chopped chives

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup flour

½ salt

Preheat oven to 325.  Prepare a 8x8 baking dish by greasing it with spray oil.

1.       In a large pan, melt butter at a medium heat until melted (not boiling). Remove from heat.

2.        Stir in sugar with a whisk

3.       Whisk in the eggs, quickly. (make sure you check to make sure the butter and sugar mixture is warm, not hot or it will cook the eggs)

4.       Add the baking soda to the buttermilk.    Whisk this into the butter and egg mixture.

5.       Whisk  in corn and chives

6.       Add the dry ingredients to the wet in the pan. (Cornmeal, flour and salt).  Using the whisk combined the flours to the wet mixture going in circular motion starting in the middle of the pan, until they are well incorporated.  Batter will appear a bit lumpy.

7.       Pour batter into prepared pan.

8.       Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Sirloin Chili  (inspired by a recipe from The Yummy Life)

2 pounds top sirloin, cut into ½ pieces ( I used the stir fry option your butcher will have, and just cut it into thirds)

3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1 large onion chopped

1 large jalapeño (seeded and chopped)

Chili mixture (1/4 cup California chili powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano,2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon unsweeten cocoa power,2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3 tablespoons cormeal (or flour)) mixed together

2 cups Chicken broth

2 teaspoons Molasses

1 can pinto beans (drained)

2 cans kidney beans (drained)

1 can (14.5) roasted diced tomatoes with garlic

12 oz of Pale Ale beer

1 Dutch Oven Pot  (You really need a Dutch oven for this recipe since you need to be able to transfer it from the stove top to the oven.   This is an investment I greatly recommend.  These pots are amazing when it comes to roasting and simmering in the oven.  Check out your local TJ maxx or Marshalls, many times they have them on sale.)

1.       On medium high heat, put the 3 tablespoons of oil to heat up in the Dutch Oven.  Once hot, add in the cut sirloin into the pot. Cook for 5-8 minutes

2.       Add in onions and garlic till translucent, add in jalapeño  and stir.

3.       Stir in Chili mixture (this will thicken up really quick, just continue stirring)

4.       Gradually add in chicken broth and molasses.

5.       Add the beans and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil.

6.       Stir in beer.

7.       Remove from heat and put on lid and put into the oven.

8.       Cook at 325 for 1 ½- to 2 hours.

9.       Serve with green onions, sour cream and cheddar cheese and a big slice of Buttermilk Chive cornbread J