Last week I bought my first cast iron skillet with the help of a graduation gift card from one of my lovely friends 🙂 I also got all this awesome stuff! World Market is the best!
Anyways..I’ve been dying to try it out and the first thing that came to mind was cornbread. Duh. I wanted to spice it up a little bit, both literally and figuratively! Considering I had some black beans and an avocado that needed to be used up, I decided to go the Mexican route.
This dinner came together quickly and easily! I started by sauteing some onion and garlic in a hot pan (*Side note: I wonder what percentage of my dinners start off that way?!). Then I added some green and red peppers, the leftover black beans and a couple of tomatoes that were on their last leg. I also chopped up two turkey burgers from the freezer and added those to the pan. I seasoned the mixture with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder and some black pepper. Then I set the mixture aside while I made the cornbread batter.
To keep things simple, I just used the recipe on the cornmeal container. I greased my pan, and spread half the batter over the bottom. Then I added the filling and a tiny bit of Mexican cheese.
Finally I spread the rest of the batter on top. This takes a little time so be patient. I used the back of a regular spoon to slowly spread the batter all over the top and then put it in the oven at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Slice into wedges and serve!
Since I had that avocado to use up, I diced it up along with the rest of my kamatos and placed a scoopful on top of each piece.
Mexican Cornbread Skillet
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Keywords: bake entree black beans avocado tomato ground turkey Mexican
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 c onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup black beans
- 1/2 lb ground turkey
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced and divided
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 c low-fat Mexican cheese
- 1 batch of cornbread batter (use your favorite recipe)
- 1/2 an avocado
Instructions
1. In a hot skillet, saute the garlic, onion and ground turkey.
2. Add the peppers and black beans and cook until the turkey is cook through and the peppers are crisp tender.
3. Add the spices and tomatoes.
4. Prepare the cornbread batter according to the recipe or package directions.
5. Grease a cast-iron skillet and spread half of the cornbread batter over the bottom.
6. Top with the turkey and bean mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Pour the remaining cornbread batter over the top, using a spoon to spread it out and cover up the filling.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
9. Slice and top with tomato and avocado.
Do you have a cast iron skillet? What’s your favorite thing to cook in it?
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
Don’t have a cast iron skillet but it looks like it cooks up corn bread way better. This recipe sounds so good.
it makes the best cornbread, that’s for sure!
This looks amazing! Totally going to make something similar to this in my cast iron pan (maybe even this week). I never thought about sandwiching all those goodies in the bread before. My fav things to make our eggs and fried potatoes (with garlic and onion seasoning). I love how over time the pans get more and more seasoned and you get that delicious additional flavor!
ooooh, definitely making eggs in mine this weekend!
this looks delicious! and thank you sooooo much for reminding me that i wanted to add a cast iron skillet to me and brad’s wedding registry!!! 🙂 i’m going to do it later today!
yes!!! a definitely must-have that I forgot on mine!
This looks great! I haven’t used a cast iron skillet…but it is on my list of things to do!
i don’t have much experience with them either….but i plan to learn!
mmmmm cornbread. So good! And I love how you made it into a meal with wonderful add ins. Just terrific. I don’t have a cast iron skillet, I totally want one
you definitely need one. baby shower gift?! 🙂
Oh. My. Gosh. This is just amazing! As if cornbread wasn’t yummy enough…I love this! 🙂
haha i know! i didn’t think cornbread could get much better than it already is!
What pretty cornbread!
why thank you, my dear 🙂
This looks great, along with your finds at World Market!
thanks lady!
I heart World Market! They have such cute and affordable things, especially when it comes to decorating.
That cornbread looks tasty. I totally need a cast iron skillet!
yes you do! world market is my fav 🙂
Oh. Wow. Bookmarked.
🙂
awesome. let me know what you think of it!
Love the cast iron skillet and love this recipe! Oh and cornbread in general 🙂
haha hurray for a triple hit!
What a great gift from your friends that enabled you to get that skillet. You certainly made good use of it!
i know! i had my eye on it forever
I love World Market! I need to stop buying different colored colanders. I am running out space to put them all. I mean who needs 4 of them?
This recipe reminds me a lot of one of my favorite childhood meals: chili bake. My mom would make it with Bisquick (I think someone needs to revive Bisquick recipes in the blog world).
haha i was just telling the hubby i want to go back and buy some more of the mini colanders and use them as bowls for fruit and popcorn and stuff!!! also, bisquick is the best!
That looks tasty!! I’m mostly jealous of your World Market purchases though, I looove that place.
i know…it’s pretty much the best store ever!
You know, I’ve been thinking about cornbread dishes lately. I’m so glad you posted this because it combines some of my favorite ingredients in a delicious way. YUM!
yay!!!! let me know what you think if you give it a try!
Sounds like the perfect way to use your new skillet for the first time – yum!
I use my cast iron skillet to do cornbread, too! Another favorite is panini-style grilled sandwiches.
oooh never thought of that! how perfect!
I love to make yorkshire pudding in my cast iron skillet – compliments of Alton Brown from the food network – I had never had it before and thought it was a real pudding – it’s not 🙂 but it’s yummy 🙂 and the cast iron skillet is perfect because it gets so hot and hold it’s heat – by the way that cornbread looks amazingly good 🙂
My cast iron skillet is my MUST have kitchen accessory. I inherited mine from my mother when I went off to college. I use it to sauté anything that needs it (onions, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini) and it’s an essential for my polenta, a favorite dish to make on the weekend and eat on those don’t have time to cook nights. Just make sure you keep yours seasoned and it should never let you down!
yum! i bet sauteed veggies taste great in it. thanks for the tips!