Olive Stuffed Cornbread Recipe

This year I’m spending my first Thanksgiving in Seattle… and I’m meeting my boyfriend’s family! I’ve been wracking my brain to figure out what dish to contribute to the dinner and I settled on something that’s always been a real comfort to me: cornbread. Growing up, I ate a lot of this dish, whether it was from scratch and made by my Texan grandmother or a box of Jiffy on a lazy Sunday morning. Whenever I think back to meals with my family, especially for Thanksgiving, I recall always taking an extra serving of cornbread. I personally love mine with lots of melted butter a top, but I know there are purists out there.

Olive Stuffed Cornbread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 12-15 pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1 tablespoon butter, for greasing 9-inch cast-iron skiller

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease an overproof cast-iron skillet (this Finex one is my favorite) with enough butter to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the corn bread mix into a bowl, add the pepper and paprika and mix them in well. Add the milk and egg, then stir with a fork until combined. Add the cheese and stir again.

Pour the batter into the skillet and place the olives – with the pimento side pointing up – half way into the cornbread. As it cooks, the bread will rise, surrounding the olives, so don’t push them in too far or they’ll be swallowed up by cornbread (which will still taste delicious, but won’t be half as cute)!

Put the skillet into your preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the bread is golden at the edges and not jiggly in the middle. Enjoy immediately while it’s still warm and tasty!

So, what are you bringing to Thanksgiving?

recipe developed by Claire McAleese. photography and styling by Jojotastic.

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