Ingredients:
Yields approx. 4 cups
3 C cornbread, dried and cubed (store-bought or homemade)
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C chicken stock
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
cilantro, garnish (optional)
Cornbread:
(if making homemade)
1 C all-purpose flour
1 C cornmeal
1 C buttermilk
1 C cheddar cheese
1/3 C sugar
2 large eggs
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Directions:
For cornbread;
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda, in a medium bowl. Mix well.
In a large bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, sugar, and butter, until smooth.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to egg mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
Fold in cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into baking dish.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cornbread cool completely.
Cut into bite sized cubes.
** Note: for best results with stuffing, make cornbread 1-2 days ahead of time.
For stuffing:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish.
Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet, over medium heat, and sauté onions, celery, bell peppers, and jalapenos, until softened (about 12 minutes).
During the last few minutes of cooking, add minced garlic, stirring frequently, to prevent burning.
Stir in cubed cornbread and chicken stock. Mix until liquid is completely absorbed by bread and vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour cornbread mixture into baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned, crispy, and cooked through. (Bread should be crisp but still moist.)
Garnish with cilantro (optional) and serve.
