Sweet Potato Cornbread with Hot Honey Lime butter

I’ve always looked forward to celebrating New Year’s Day with a giant feast of black eyed peas, greens, and cornbread. This holy trinity of southern food stems out of the African diaspora, like many southern favorites, and they are a symbol of luck, money, and prosperity in the forthcoming year.

I eat a lot of cornbread this time of year, not just on January 1, because it makes for the perfect comforting side to go with all the soups and chili I make in the cold months. I’ve been trying out new flavor combinations for a while, and I wanted to share a recipe for one of my favorites: sweet potato cornbread with hot honey lime butter. I love the flavor combination—it's a little sweet and spicy and sour. You may wany to make a double batch of the butter because if you're like me you'll slather it on every bite.

The black eyed peas recipe I make each year is inspired by a Greek stew. It isn’t the traditional southern way of eating the dish—there's no pork, and it's a little lighter. In my opinion, the biggest flavor boost comes from the fresh lemon juice and herbs stirred in at the end. I also love the salty-sour pop from the addition of feta cheese.

Sweet Potato Cornbread with Hot Honey Lime butter

Yield: Makes 16 servings

Time: 30 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook

Ingredients

For the cornbread

• 1 cup (152 grams) cornmeal
• 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup (240 grams) sweet potato puree*
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) brown butter, cooled to room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream
• 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (107 grams) brown sugar**

For the hot honey lime butter

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) Challenge salted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons hot honey***
• Zest from 1 lime

Directions

For the cornbread

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper and spray coat with nonstick spray.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
• In large bowl, stir together sweet potato puree, brown butter, eggs, sour cream, maple syrup, and brown sugar.
• Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Pour batter into baking dish.
• Place in oven and bake to 35 to 40 minutes, or until center of cornbread feels firm and slightly springy.

For the hot honey lime butter

• Stir together butter, hot honey, and lime zest until smooth.

Notes:

*Make sweet potato puree by roasting sweet potato at 450 for 90 minutes or peeling, chopping, and boiling potato until tender. Put cooked sweet potato in food processor until smooth.

**Melt butter in thick-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Continue to heat butter until foam on top subsides and brown specks form at bottom of skillet. Remove the skillet from the burner and pour the butter into a bowl to prevent it from continuing to cook. Allow the butter to cool to room temperature before incorporating it into the rest of the wet ingredients.

***I purchased hot honey, but if you can’t find any, you can make your own.

Black eyed peas and greens with dill

Yield: Six 1-cup servings

Time: 30 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard (or collard greens), stems removed and diced, leaves cut in ribbons
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup stock (or water)
• 1 pound black eyed peas, cooked
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: Feta cheese

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Add onion and Swiss chard stems and saute on medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and saute another minute.
3. Add tomatoes (with juice), red wine vinegar, stock, and black eyed peas. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover Dutch oven.
4. Continue to simmer until black eyed peas are soft but not mushy, about 45 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and dill. 
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Chicken and Waffles Casserole

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

Does anyone else ever think about how scary it is that we're all so dependent on technology? I've been thinking about it a lot this week as I deal with a broken laptop. Actually "broken" is a generous adjective for the condition my laptop is in -- it's dead.

I wasted hours of time on vacation time trying to fix it. Did you catch that? I wasted VACATION TIME because of a broken laptop. And I'm sure many of you would do the same thing. The unknown of whether it would work or not gave me extreme anxiety. 

I use my laptop to sort through emails, to study and read my textbook, to blog, to edit photos... It's my link to the outside world. Except, somewhere along the way I must have forgotten that I'm actually living in the "outside world," and I don't need a "link" to it because I'm in it!

I realize a lot of our dependence to technology is just a result of the direction the world is moving. And most people have obligations that require the use of technology. So my suggestion to you is that the next time you experience a laptop or computer problem, try to embrace it instead of becoming upset or anxious. Use it as an opportunity to disconnect and channel your energy toward more simple things in life. Learn from my mistakes!

Okay, now someone lend me a hand so I can get down from my soapbox.

I first learned about the "chicken and waffles" combination just a few years ago. Savory, sweet, and an incredible combination of textures. This is definitely a recipe I'd be interested in sharing with friends. But then I think about how I would be stuck in the kitchen serving up waffles while everyone else eats. No thank you. I am already the world's slowest eater. so you don't want me eating last.

That's why I like breakfast casseroles. Make them the night before, pop the whole thing in the oven, and everyone gets to eat at the same time! But wait, chicken and waffles can be turned into a casserole too! And that's exactly what I did.

Let's first talk about the waffles. I made cornbread maple waffles -- great texture and the perfect amount of sweetness. You could absolutely use freezer waffles if you prefer, but I feel like nothing compares to a homemade waffle.

For the fried chicken, I bought popcorn chicken from the freezer section of the grocery store. I chose the popcorn variety because it's already in bite-size pieces. But you can make you own fried chicken, oven fry your chicken, or buy it from your favorite restaurant.

I layered the waffles and the chicken in an 8 x 8 pan with cheese because why not cheese. And then I added a mixture of eggs, milk, maple syrup and spices to hold it together.

It was actually better than I imagined, and the pieces came out of the pan really well!

Chicken and Waffles Casserole

Yield: Serves about 8 people

Ingredients

For the waffles

• 2 (8.5 ounce) boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tablespoons Challenge butter, melted
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the egg mixture

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Also...

• 2 pounds fried popcorn chicken
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

For the waffles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix Jiffy mix, eggs, butter, milk, maple syrup, and brown sugar until there are no lumps.
3. Use batter to make waffles; cube waffles and set aside.

For the egg mixture

1. Combine eggs, milk, maple syrup, chili powder, garlic powder, and dry mustard; set aside

Assembly

1. Spray 8 x 8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray
2. Add 1/2 of cubed waffles to bottom of pan; layer with 1 pound of popcorn chicken and 1/2 of cup cheese.
3. Repeat adding the rest of the waffles, chicken, and cheese
4. Pour egg mixture on top.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with more maple syrup if desired.

Low-Fat White Chicken Chili

Nothing says comfort food like a big bowl of chili and cornbread muffins! This white chili recipe is great for several reasons. First of all, the fat and calorie content are significantly lower than your average red meat chili. There are only 4 grams of fat and 160 calories per cup. And second of all, it can either be made on the stove or in the crock pot! I love recipes that are versatile and give people options depending on time constraints.

This chili also freezes well. Personally, I could make a big old pot, and eat it every day for a week! But if that's not your style, divide it into small, single-serving containers and stick them in the freezer. It will last for about three months in the freezer.

I like to serve my chili with cornbread muffins and cilantro. But you can add whatever toppings you want: sour cream, tortilla chips, cheese, green onions, avocado, etc.

Low-Fat White Chicken Chili

Yield: 15 cups of chili

Calories: 160 calories per cup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 48 ounces chicken broth
• 1 (48 ounce) jar Great Northern Beans
• 1 (16 ounce) jar medium salsa
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese

Directions

If making chili on the stove top...

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray ad place chicken in pan
3. Bake chicken breasts for 25 minutes or until they're no longer pink inside
4. Remove chicken breasts from oven and let them cool off for about 10 minutes
5. Once chicken is cool enough to touch, chop the chicken up into small chunks and set aside
6. Add chicken broth to 6-quart pot and set stove temperature to medium heat
7. Once the broth starts to boil, drain Great Northern Beans in colander and add beans to broth
8. Then add chicken, salsa, cumin, and garlic powder
9. Turn stovetop temperature to low heat and simmer for 1/2 hour
10. Add pepper jack cheese
11. Stir until cheese has melted and serve

If making chili in the crock pot...

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray ad place chicken in pan
3. Bake chicken breasts for 25 minutes or until they're no longer pink inside
4. Remove chicken breasts from oven and let them cool off for about 10 minutes
5. Once chicken is cool enough to touch, chop the chicken up into small chunks and set aside
6. Add chicken broth to 6-quart crock pot and set crockpot temperature to high heat
7. Once the broth starts to boil (it will take about 1 hour), drain Great Northern Beans in colander and add beans to broth
8. Then add chicken, salsa, cumin, and garlic powder
9. Turn crock pot temperature to low heat and let simmer for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours)
10. Add pepper jack cheese
11. Stir until cheese has melted and serve