Video:5 Easy Cornbread Variations

Transcript:5 Easy Cornbread Variations

Hi I'm Chef William Richards for About.com. Looking for some ways to jazz up your cornbread? Here are 5 different variations from spicy to sweet that'll please almost any palate.

Ingredients for a Basic Cornbread Recipe

The ingredients for these cornbread recipes come from About.com's Southern Food site. We'll begin with a base cornbread recipe. Here's what you’ll need to get started:

• 1 cup of yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar (if you're not adding any variations to this recipe, make it 2/3 cup white sugar)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Make the Basic Cornbread Recipe

First combine the dry ingredients together, starting with the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix together thoroughly then add 1 egg, vegetable oil and milk. Stir together until the mix is nice and smooth with minimal lumps. We’re offering 5 cornbread variations. Each recipe makes about 6-8 muffins depending on the size.

Corn and Chili Cornbread Variation

Starting with number 1, you'll need 1/2 can of creamed corn and 1 4-ounce can of mild green chiles. Mix the ingredients into your cornbread base and fill each cup 1/2 to 2/3rds full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Test your muffins with a wooden toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, they're done.

Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread Variation

Variation #2 is chopped broccoli and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. You can use either a defrosted box of broccoli or a cup of lightly steamed fresh broccoli. Use about 1/2 cup of cheese and mix thoroughly together. Bake for 15 minutes.

Bacon and Onion Cornbread Variation

Variation #3 is bacon and chopped onions. Fry between 4 and 6 slices of bacon and chop into pieces. Add about 2/3rd's cup of onion. Adjust these amounts to suit your taste. Mix and bake until golden brown.

Spicy Jalapeno Cornbread Variation

Variation #4 is a spicy vegetarian delight with 1 chopped jalapeno, 1/2 red pepper and 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Blend well and bake. Feel free to use cheddar instead.

Sweet Blueberry Cornbread Variation

And last but not least, a dessert-style cornbread combination with 2-4 tbsp of brown sugar, 2 tbsp of honey and 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries. Adjust the sweet stuff to please your sweet tooth. Try other berries too. Be creative!

So there you have it -- five different cornbread combos to suit anyone's taste. Enjoy. Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.