Cornbread is typically made of cornmeal, milk, eggs, butter, sweetener, and baking soda. You simply combine everything and bake until golden brown. It’s easy to make as it doesn’t contain yeast. Of course, different regions have different ways of making cornbread.

Northern style and Southern style are the two most popular ways of baking cornbread. In the South, they don’t use as much sugar but are very generous with the cornmeal. It gives the bread a more crumbly and less sugary texture. In the North, it’s the exact opposite. They go heavy on the sugar and flour, making the cornbread sweeter and thicker. So, it depends on your flavor and texture preferences.

The recipe we’ll share offers the perfect combination of both sweet and crumbly cornbread. Invite some guests over and bake everything just a few minutes before they arrive. Throw in some herbs and red pepper as well for extra color. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups buttermilk
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1. Start by preheating your oven to 400°F and spray some cooking spray on your baking pan of choice. Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, add the eggs, buttermilk, and butter and whisk again until everything is well combined. Pour the batter into the pan.
2. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until you insert a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let the cornbread cool in the pan for 10 more minutes. Then, transfer it to a rack and cut it into squares once it cools completely.
3. An extra tip: If you want to make pepper jack scallion cornbread, you can add a cup of shredded Pepper Jack cheese and 2 chopped scallions to the batter. Also, if you’re not going to serve the cornbread immediately, cover it with a clean tea towel. This way, it will remain moist and warm.

It’s hard to get chili wrong. It’s a flexible dish and there are many different types, from traditional red to homestyle and veggie. With some many options, it can be hard to decide what toppings will go best with your particular chili recipe. That’s why we’re here to help you choose the best toppings.

Traditional red chili is also called Texas red or chili con carne, and they’re all considered the original chili. It includes red chili peppers, meat, and spices with nothing extra like pasta or beans. The toppings that are traditionally used include cilantro, Cheddar cheese, jalapeños, cornbread, chopped onions, and tortilla chips.

Chili Verde is a Mexican-American stew that uses green chili peppers. The pork and spices for this dish are once again the only ingredients, and no beans or pasta are used as fillers. Some people enhance the flavor with charro beans and rice. Good toppings here are lime wedges and sour cream. However, jalapeño, radish, and green onion slices, among other ingredients, are also acceptable.

White chili is what is known as the creamy, nontraditional version of chili. It is made with chicken or turkey, white beans, green chili peppers, and a dairy-based broth. The toppings that are great for this chili should add to its creaminess, so avocado, lime wedges, jalapeño slices, cherry tomatoes, hot sauce, and cheese are the most preferred.

Homestyle chili is the kind that most people make, well, at home. The common ingredients are meat, vegetables, chili peppers, beans, and other ingredients that vary depending on who’s making the dish. Homestyle chilis often include tomatoes, rice, or pasta, but what makes it perfect are the toppings. The best ones should give it more richness with acidity and starchiness. These include onions, apple cider vinegar, avocado, pickled onions, sour cream, cheese, oyster crackers, tater tots, and more.

Veggie chilis are great for people who want a meatless option, and the toppings options are rather interesting. They include roasted corn, sweet potato cubes, radish slices, garlic, avocado, hot honey drizzle, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. People also like to use toasted quinoa, Cotija cheese, plantain chips, and Greek yogurt to give salty and savory notes.

Enthusiasts who want to use traditional recipes as well as those who prefer to put their own spin on the dish can easily take their chili to the next level with the right toppings. All chilis are born to get creative with their ingredients.