Guest Blogger: Cheesy Cornbread

It's guest blogger time, and today is a very special guest blog.  Mary of Food Floozie and I are switching things up today in honor of the Nebraska vs. Michigan game on Saturday.  So, after checking out Mary's yummy little post, stop on by her site and check out my post for Runza Bites  -  You'll have to go there to see what it's all about!! :)
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I'm not Southern, but I still make a great cornbread! And, believe it or not, this recipe is actually a great way to represent both schools in honor of Saturday's Nebraska-Michigan game. Thanks so much, Jenn, for trading posts with me today as we celebrate what will undoubtedly be an amazing match-up!

Nebraska, of course, is famous for its agriculture, particularly for beautiful corn. So cornbread seemed a perfect choice to offer for tailgating or for watching the game at home; it goes with chili, with soups, with salads ... you name it, it's hard to go wrong with cornbread on the side!

This recipe is not my own, I must admit. It comes from Jo Mathis, a reporter who used to write for The Ann Arbor News before its 2009 demise. I loved reading her columns, in which Jo wrote about daily life with her husband and her daughters; we readers all felt a part of her inner circle as she shared her heart and soul with us.

I remember one column in particular that told a story of travelling and about serendipitously finding great food. I don't know where the original clipping has wandered off to, so I can't tell you all of the details. But Jo managed to find the perfect slice of cornbread and finagle the recipe from the waitress, then she generously shared it with all of her readers.

And what did she ask for in return? Chocolate. Recipes for any kind of chocolate treat. How could you not love this woman???

So today I'm featuring a recipe that pays tribute both to the corn that is so much a part of the state of Nebraska, as well as a recipe that comes from Ann Arbor's history. This is moist, flavorful, has great texture, and it's easy to make - what more do you need, other than lots of butter to slather on the cornbread?

Nebraska at Michigan
Saturday, November 19 at noon EST
GO BLUE!!!

Cheesy Cornbread

(slightly adapted from a recipe provided by Jo Mathis)

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup creamed corn

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

4 oz shredded Colby-Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8"x8" baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar; mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in creamed corn. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper; stir into batter. Stir in cheese.

Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until cornbread is golden at the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool, then cut into squares.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Feel free to substitute sharp Cheddar or Pepper Jack for the Colby Jack, or to use a combination of cheeses. I've offered Jeremy's favorite version of the cornbread, but one of its many charms is its adaptability.

One Year Ago:  Chocolate Sugar Cookies