Chili and Cornbread In A Cup

It is cold outside and what better way to take away the

chill than homemade chili and cornbread?  How

about combining the two into one clever and

creative dish that showcases both?

Who hasn't seen this creative presentation
for chili and cornbread?
I pinned

this one quite a while ago from Giver'slog,
and decided to give it

a try.

Since we are all lovers of Pinterest here at
Purple Chocolat Home,
 we decided to try and
make some of the delicious things we have
pinned or marked.  Pinterest is like a personal set
of files of things you want to save and be able to
go back and find.  Before Pinterest, I was going through
reams of paper printing off your wonderful ideas that
I wanted to get around to or to save!  (A little complaining
from hubby about paper waste there!!)  Still, it was hard
to go through all of them and find what I was looking for.

Enter Pinterest - now not only can I save every great idea
(without paying for ink and paper) but I can see great
ideas you have found.

Pinterest is now my greatest referral source and has
increased my readership.  I love that too!

I saw this fun blurb on Pinterest and decided to make

a whole week of Pinterest items.  Of course I have 

pinned so much, I could do a whole year of things but

really I am just visiting your great blogs 

and trying out

things you have suggested!

 I decided to tweak this one and make my favorite super quick

recipe for chili.This recipe is perfect for something

that is thick and tasty but is done in a flash.

I developed this quick chili recipe one time

when I was out of time and needed 

a thick rich chili in minutes to top Navajo Tacos.

I like my chili thick, almost thick enough

to stand your fork in and that can take a

lot of simmering.  Substituting refried beans 

for kidney or chili beans gives that luscious 

creamy thickness instantly.

Fast As A Rattlesnake

Southwest Chili

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 T. onion powder

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

2 T. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. oregano

28 oz. finely diced tomatoes

30 oz. refried beans

3/4 C. warm water (more if needed)

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan.  Drain the

fat.  Add the spices and stir while still on the heat for

about 2 minutes to toast the spices and bring out

additional flavor.  Stir in the tomatoes, the refried

beans and water. Heat to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes,

stirring often to avoid sticking.  Add additional water if

desired to make it how thick you want it.

I decided to make my quick and thick homemade

chili and top it with the kind of cornbread I love,

sweet and cakelike.

Sweet Cornbread

1 1/2 C. flour

3/4 C. yellow cornmeal
2/3 C. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2  tsp. baking powder

1/4 C. butter, melted

1 1/4 C. milk

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. 

Use Pam with flour only on the bottom of an 8x8

inch pan.  

 Mix the dry ingredients together.

Melt the butter and add the milk.  Microwave the milk and

butter mix for 1 minute to scald the milk.  Stir the milk

into the flour mix and then stir in the egg.  

Spoon into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or 

until golden.  Let cool 5 minutes before cutting.
(Or if you are really in a hurry,
Marie Callender's Cornbread
Mix is great too if it is available where you live.)

To make the Chili and Cornbread In a Cup
(or in a jar) fill the bottom third of your ovenproof
container with warm chili.  Make sure it isn't too hot
because it could crack a cold jar.  Fill the next third with
the cornbread batter.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for
20-25 minutes or until the bread is cooked through
and the chili is bubbling.

And I had to take the suggestion given on her

blog and top the cornbread with soft creamy

butter and rich honey!  Yummy!

(The honey and butter get eaten in the first few bites

so don't worry about it mixing in the chili, unless you

want it to of course!!)

(I served them in small pie tins with checkered
tissue and tied on bamboo forks and spoons which
I found at a local restaurant supply.)



"This is one of the funnest meals I've had!", said my hubby
after he finished the meal!  Now I LOVED that!!

I will be posting this with
Foodie Friday