Loaded Buttermilk and Bacon Corn Bread

This morning as I woke, and sipped on a steam cup of cafe au lait, I glanced at the weather forecast. “Chili” for sure. It’s a great day to bake, and a great way to warm up the house. This winter has been remarkably cold all across the nation, and it sounds like from the predictions, we are in for still more cold, snowy weather.

What warms the home, and the belly better than a slow cooked pot of chili and some fresh baked corn bread on a frosty morning? I can’t think of much that proves to be quite so satisfying. So throw your favorite chili recipe into the slow cooker, and bake up a batch of these slightly sweet, slightly spicy muffins. I guaranty it’ll warm your heart, and your home and raise the temperature of your happiness all together.

RECIPE:

3 strips of smoked bacon, chopped and cooked, reserve fat rendering

1 jalapeño, seeds remove, minced (NOTE: if you like the spice, leave in the seeds)

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup unfiltered organic honey, for drizzling on top

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in your standing mixer. Add buttermilk, eggs, bacon (with fat rendering) melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined. Stir in jalapeño, cheese and corn. Portion into 12 extra large muffin cups, with paper liners. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey over the top of each muffin. This will give your muffins the crunchy gold crust on top.