I think food is one of the only places in life where it’s ok to change the rules in the middle of the game, for the most part anyway! These Poppers were a mid-game rule changer for me because I was all ready to bake up a big pan of cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread! A perfectly yummy, spicy & cheesy pan of Cornbread..SO good, but SO typical! Then it hit me, H.A.R.D!
And not a moment too soon either, since I was one knife slice away from chopping up a pile of pretty & plump jalapenos into bunches of little pieces! The voices something inside my head said “instead of slicing up of all those jalapenos and mixing them into the Cornbread batter, how ’bout using those Peppers like little Cornbread Muffin Cups..just to see what would happen?!” Hmmm…….
I’m so glad that I listened to the ramblings in my head because what happened was incredible..lol! We ended up with spicy little hand-held, flavor packed poppers, filled with warm, cheesy and tender Cornbread. As if that wasn’t enough, each bite popped wtih juicy bursts of sweetness from the fresh corn kernels suspended throughout the fluffy Cornbread. Such a perfect balance to the spicy peppers!
Give this unique Cornbread switch-up a try the next time you’d like to jazz up an otherwise ordinary side dish. It totally turns plain old cornbread into a fun, two-bite Jalapeno Cornbread Popper experience! 🙂
What you’ll need for approx. 24 Jalapeno Cornbread Poppers:
12 Med/Large fresh Jalapenos
1 Box of Cornbread Mix (I used the Honey variety for the sweetness)
1 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar (1 cup for the batter..1/2 cup for sprinkiling)
1 Cup Corn..fresh OR canned is just fine
Directions:
Slice each jalapeno down the center and carefully remove all the seeds and veins..set aside
In a medium bowl, mix up the Cornbread batter according to the box instructions, add in the Corn and 1 cup of the Cheddar.
Fill each Jalapeno half with some batter! Eh-hem, don’t over fill them! 😉
Sprinkle them all with the remaining 1/2 cup of Cheddar.
Place them on a baking rack & sheet pan, bake them at 350 for about 15-20 minutes, or until the Cornbread is firm and cooked through. They will be puffed and cheesy too!
Let them cool cuz they’re HOT!
Umm, hello..manners!! Make sure you share them with your friends & family..first! 😉
Then you can lose control and dig in! ~Enjoy! 🙂
Made these, only with some large poblano chilies. Cut them in half, then filled halfcway with the cornbread and cheese mixture, then added a healthy portion of leftover pulled pork, then topped it off with more cornbread mixture. Instead of baking in the oven I smoked them on my big green egg. They were wonderful! Next time I will make them using masa, so they will be like tamales!
Can these poppers be prepared then frozen without losing flavor or consistency?
Hi Amy. Genius idea! Wanna do these for upcoming christening/BD party, approx 50+/-. Doing a dry run today. Can these be pre-made, frozen? Without compromising flavor/presentation? Roberta
Made these last night as a side for chili for the football game. It was perfect for a rainy, early fall night! I would add a little salt to the cornbread mix as ours were a little flat. Also, I had batter left over so I made some mini corn muffins with it. I think that if I’d had 20 whole peppers (for 40 halves) I would’ve used all the batter it made. I brought the leftovers to work today & my co-workers loved them…..and they did not seem to get any hotter overnight as some recipes with jalapenos have a tendency to do. This recipe is a keeper! Many thanks!
Made these last night as a side for chili & it was perfect for a rainy night in early fall for the football game! I would add a touch of salt to the cornbread mix as it seemed a little flat. I did have left over batter so I made some mini corn muffins. I think if I’d had 20 peppers (for 40 halves) I would have used it all up. I brought left overs to work & my co-workers loved them too…..& they did not seem to get any hotter overnight like some recipes with jalapenos tend to do. This recipe is a keeper! Many thanks!