Tamale Cornbread: Kicking it up a Notch

This New Year’s Day I decided to experiment with the boring cornbread usually served with black eyed peas…with another southern New Year’s tradition: tamales.  Why not marry the two?  Yes, why not, indeed!  I’ll admit, I thought it would be weird but it turned out so well I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to blah cornbread next New Year’s Day.

 

 

Tamale Cornbread

 

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix

2/3 cup milk

4 eggs

2 tamales, chopped

1 can corn (optional)

1/4 cup chopped jalapeno (optional)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 370 degrees.  Grease and flour 9″ square pan (or two smaller rectangular pans, if using two tamale flavors).  Mix cornbread mix, milk, eggs (and optional ingredients, if desired) until well blended.  Spread chopped tamales along bottom of pan.  Pour cornbread mixture over tamales.  Bake until top is golden brown.  Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan and slicing.

 

Yield: 12 servings (pairs well with black eyed peas)