Once Upon a Thistle

My love of comfort food has remained pretty consistent all my life. The term was first used in the late sixties, in a story by the Palm Beach Post: "Adults, when under severe emotional stress, turn to what could be called 'comfort food' - food associated with the security of childhood. This 'comfort food' varies greatly across the nation, but I have found some of the best recipes originate in the South. Maybe it's the way Southern mamas take great pride in their cooking and comforting their families, maybe it has more to do with traditions passed down generation to generation, but whatever it is, those Southern recipes reside in many homes as a standard 'go-to' meal when the craving for comfort food sets in. 

I recently stumbled upon a copy of Reese Witherspoon's "Whiskey in a Teacup." While it isn't exactly a recipe book - it's more of a collection of home-spun stories of her childhood and how proper Southern ladies 'do their day,' I was intrigued by more than a handful of good 'ol comfort food recipes. I also had a good laugh about driving to your destination with your hair all done up in hot rollers.

Being as though I am still serving meals on a tray to my recuperating son, I'm looking for a new variety of offerings - attempting to mix it up a little. His appetite is increasing now, so this is a good sign. As a mother of teenage sons, a sure-fire way of knowing something is not right with your kid, is when a teenage boy doesn't have an appetite. I announced yesterday that I was going to try my hand at a new recipe involving chili and I saw the big smile and I knew I had a winner!

My family loves chili, so the recipe for Corn Bread Chili Pie was a definite. Now I know what you're thinking....it's over 100 degrees right now, why on earth would you serve chili? Well you see, when you're watching your food practically disappear before your eyes (teen boys will cause you to think about a second job just to provide groceries), satisfying and filling meals become a priority. And chili starts looking pretty good, no matter what the temp is - and there is some grace, it's not 100 degrees inside - thankfully - my dear hubby does like arctic air blowing on him during the hot summer months. Still, though, I've learned to cook early in the day before the temps rise too high.

What can I say about the Cornbread Chili Pie? Well, it was delicious! Satisfying and filling. And for a few moments, I fooled everyone as all they could see on the stovetop was the cornbread - and low and behold, hiding beneath was the chili. See, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.

Try some for yourself. I'm sure you'll agree - pretty awesome comfort food!

Reese's Corn Bread Chili Pie

2 Tablespoons olive oil           

1 medium onion, chopped               

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef                   

1 pound ground pork                       

2 packets chili seasoning

1 can diced tomatoes                  

2 Tablespoons tomato paste             

2 cups chicken broth

2 eggs                                        

2/3 cup milk                                     

1 cup frozen corn, divided

1 cup shredded cheese                

1 can kidney beans, drained             

2 Jiffy Cornbread mixes

Preheat oven to 375. In a cast iron skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and saute for 1 minute before adding the garlic. Saute for another minute and add the ground beef and pork, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and stirring until meat is browned.

Drain off any excess fat and stir in the chili seasoning, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix over medium heat for 1 minute, then pour in the chicken broth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

While the meat simmers, make the corn bread mixture: stir together the mix, eggs and milk in a bowl until just combined (do not overmix). Stir 1/2 cup of corn and the cheese into the corn bread batter and set aside. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of corn and the kidney beans into the meat mixture. 

Transfer the meat mixture to a casserole dish. Pour the corn bread batter over the meat mixture and bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Try serving with optional toppings such as salsa, green onion, sour cream and shredded cheese.