Piquant Jalapeño Corn Bread

Last week I posted a recipe for Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili.  Well, I liked it so much that I made it again.  Since I was serving the chili as a main course, I figured I needed to add a little somethin'-somethin' to serve alongside.  So I made it with this recipe for Piquant  Jalapeño Corn Bread.  Delish.  It hits the spot!

The corn bread generously serves 8 and I put some in the freezer for future consumption.    What a great choice for this time of year...when nighttime temps can dip into the 30's.  Yikes!

Piquant Jalapeño Corn Bread 
(This is an adaptation of a recipe in My Nepenthe by Romney Steele and was published in this month's Saveur magazine.)

1⁄3 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup fl our

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

3⁄4 tsp. ground cumin

1 egg, beaten

1 1⁄2 cups grated cheddar cheese

3⁄4 cup buttermilk

1⁄2 cup milk

1⁄4 cup minced fresh cilantro

2 jalapeños, minced

1⁄2 medium white onion, minced

1⁄2 red bell pepper, minced

Heat oven to 400˚.  Grease an 8" x 8" baking pan; set aside.  Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, chili powder , salt, and cumin in a bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together butter and egg; stir in cheese, buttermilk, milk, cilantro, jalapeños, onions, and peppers.  Whisk mixture into flour; pour into pan; smooth with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 30 minutes.