Fall into Comfort Food

It's Fall in Chicago and this means gone are the days at the beach and al fresco dining and in with the cool temperature and heavier winds (not that the Windy City is ever not windy). While I say goodbye to the summer with a heavy heart, the one thing I can embrace is the food of Fall. This is the time when people start making heavier dishes (Goulash, anyone?) and often times turn to comfort food to keep them warm on those chilly Chicago nights. I am no exception and made the first batch of my mom's classic chili and two types of cornbread for the season. What's so great about corn bread is it is exceptionally easy to make and uses minimal base ingredients, allowing you to use other ingredients to change the flavor. Below is my basic corn bread recipe and then a few ways to spice it up.

Corn Bread:
1 C. Corn Meal
1 C. Flour
1/2 C. Sugar
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
2 Eggs
1/2 C milk (or buttermilk if your waistline is forgiving)
1/4 C melted butter

Preheat oven to 425. Sift flower into cornmeal, add sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix in eggs, milk and butter. Pour into a lightly greased cast iron pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Jalapeno & Cheddar Corn Bread:
Follow instructions for basic cornbread. Add to the batter diced jalapenos with the majority of their seeds. Add 1.5 C of thinly grated medium cheddar cheese. Mix well and pour into pan. Remove bread halfway through and add a thin layer of cheese to the top and a few jalapeno rings.

Honey Corn Bread:
Follow instructions for basic cornbread. Add 1/3 C honey to the batter and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Mix well and bake.