Chili and Corn bread

I can't think of a more delicious meal to serve on a busy cold autumn school day than chili and cornbread.  Wait, we're still getting used to school routines.  No time?  Canned chili and corn bread mix to the rescue.  We recommend Cattle Drive Gold chili available from Costco in number 15 oz. (2 serving size) cans or number 10 cans that serve 12.  We divided the #10 can for two families of six people, and froze each into crockpops.*   Our family of eight includes 4 teenagers, so they need their own #10 can!

Also available at Costco are large bags of Marie Callendar Corn Bread Mix.  There are 15 cups in each bag, and 3 cups will yield nine squares of cornbread or 12 muffins.

Garnishes for chili:  diced onion, shredded cheese, a sprig of fresh cilantro, or a dab of sour cream.

Serve this dinner with:  raw veggie plate and glasses of cold milk.

Advance plan:  Place frozen crockpop in crockpot in the morning.  Put unfrozen chili in crock pot by noon.  Allow 30 minutes for the corn bread to bake before serving.

10 minute Quick plan:  heat chili on stove while microwaving a square glass pan of batter for 9 1/2 min. on high on an inverted dinner plate.

Single Serving plan:  microwave chili a serving at a time and microwave the corn muffin mix as needed in silacone muffin liner, about 3 min.  on high.



Marie Callendar Corn Bread Mix Instructions

For 8 by 8 inch pan of corn bread

3 cups mix (we pre-measured this.  Emily has six cups, so double the water Em!)
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place 1 1/2 cups water in mixing bowl.  Pour in 3 cups of Corn Bread Mix while slowly mixing together.  Spray sides and bottom of 8 by 8 inch pan before pouring in batter  or make 12 muffins.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes.  If doing a double batch, use a 9 by 13 inch pan or make 24 muffins.

Microwave directions for Cornbread in a hurry:

If using square glass pan, follow directions above except put the prepared pan of batter on an inverted plate on top of the microwave turntable.  Microwave on high for 9 and a half minuts. 

If you have muffin pans that can be microwaved, either spray the muffin pan with oil or line with cupcake papers.  Put them on the turntable and zap on high for 3 1/2 minutes.

Corn Bread Nutrition information:  2 by 2 inch piece = 150 cal.
total fat:  3 g (no saturated or trans fat)
total carbohydrates = 28 g
sodium 300 mg

Chili Nutrition Information:
1 cup of chili = 290 calories
12 g fat
0.5 g saturated fat
0 trans fat
23 g carbohydrates



*A Crockpop is a preassembled dinner frozen in a crock-pot sized container to pop the frozen food out of its container, directly into the crockpot fully ready to start cooking as soon as it is plugged in.  Usual setting is low.

Enjoy dinner!   Diana