The Cardiologist's Wife

Fun Tex Mex Recipe – Grilled Cheese on Jalapeño Cornbread

[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on August 7, 2012 ][ In Sandwiches ]

If you are looking for something truly delicious  that will impress your friends and family, try this twist on grilled cheese.  I was looking over one of my favorite websites, Closet Cooking,  last week and had to try a couple of the recipes he’d recently posted.  I have a link to his website under Links across the top of my homepage so check out his page; it’s full of great recipes and well written.  This past Sunday, we definitely had a Latin fiesta as I made a Mexican pizza and Mojitos to go along with the grilled cheese.  Mexican food is easy to prepare so it’s a good choice if you are entertaining.  I’m going to share the recipe for the grilled cheese and the Mojitos.  This is the best Mojito recipe we’ve found so far and these have less sugar so they are a bit lower in calories.  Though the grilled cheese has several steps, none are difficult.  You can simplify the whole process by using canned refried beans but this time, I made my own though I did use canned black beans.

 

First you need some jalapeño cornbread.  I never chop fresh hot peppers but this time I did and it was worth the effort.  I wore disposable plastic gloves so I wouldn’t get any oils from the peppers on my hands.  Call me a weenie, I don’t care.

 

Jalapeño Cornbread

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

Mix these ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 jalapeno peppers, diced

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and add buttermilk mixture.  Stir well then fold in the diced peppers.  Pour into a greased 9×5 loaf pan.  Bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is nicely brown and bread is done.  Let cool, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.  If you are making this ahead, wrap in foil and refrigerate.

 

Refried Beans

3 cans black beans or pintos, drained and rinsed

1 onion, sliced

1/4 cup of water or chicken broth

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

Add a bit of olive oil to a large skillet and brown onion.  When onion is done, turn heat down and add beans, broth and seasoning.  Mash beans to desired consistency.  Thin with additional water if necessary.

 

Jalapeño Cornbread Grilled Cheese

2 onions

refried beans

grated cheddar cheese

jalapeño cornbread

guacamole (please make your own by mashing a couple of avocados, squeezing on a lime and adding a bit of fresh chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste)

Brown the onions in a couple tablespoons of olive oil.  This takes a bit of time but don’t get in a hurry; browning the onions makes them incredibly sweet.  They are good on any sandwich or burger this way.  Slice the jalapeno cornbread rather thin and spread 1 piece with refried beans.  Top with some onions and cheese.  Place another slice of cornbread on top.  Melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in a large skillet and carefully add the sandwich.  When browned on bottom, carefully turn using another spatula on top and brown the other side.  Transfer to a plate and top with guacamole.

 

I hope my readers will get adventurous and try this.  My family all gave it high ratings and I will definitely make this again.  The cornbread gives the sandwich a nice crunch and the onions really add some flavor.  If you check out the Closet Cooking website, you will see I took some short cuts and left out some ingredients like the chipolte peppers.  After my last experience with chipolte peppers, I’m not ready to go there again.

 

Mojitos

mint leaves

limes

simple syrup

white rum

club soda

Add 5 or 6 mint leaves to a glass.  Squeeze 1 lime over the leaves by hand.  Drop a piece of lime rind into the glass and muddle with a spoon handle or a bar tool.  This way you get some of the lime oils as well as the mint flavoring.  Remove the rind, add 1 Tbsp of simple syrup and fill the glass with ice.  Top with 1 1/2 ounces of rum and  club soda and stir.  This is a light, refreshing summer drink and goes well with any Latin food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upadated on August 7, 2012