Brisket & Jalapeño Cornbread Bites with Chili Beans
Football season is here, which means it’s time to kick off another season of Foodie Friday!
And I figured there was no better way to start than with something that involves brisket, cornbread, jalapeños and a little improvising.
Because, as I learned this week, sometimes the play you planned isn't the play you're going to run. 😂
The Game Plan
We had some leftover brisket, and I’m always looking for ways to turn leftovers into something new instead of just reheating the same meal again.
I also had a couple of roasted jalapeños left over from the fajitas we picked up on Sunday.
I took those little babies, removed the seeds, chopped them up and thought, Yep. These are going in some cornbread.
So I grabbed a box of cornbread mix, prepared it according to the package directions, chopped up some brisket and got out my mini muffin pan.
I sprayed the pan with Pam and thought I was ready to go.
Except I made one little mistake.
Instead of mixing the brisket into the cornbread batter, I put the brisket into the muffin tins first and poured the cornbread mixture over the top.
FUMBLE. 🏈
Even with the pan sprayed, that brisket decided it had found its forever home.
Some of my little muffins came out just fine.
Others?
Well…let's just say they weren't going to win any beauty contests. 😂
But Here's the Thing…
They tasted AMAZING.
The roasted jalapeños were fantastic in the cornbread, and the smoky brisket with that little kick of pepper was exactly what I was hoping for.
They just didn't look quite the way I had pictured them.
So I did what you do when a play doesn't work:
I PIVOTED.
I made some chili beans, put my not-so-perfect brisket cornbread bites right on top, and suddenly I had something even better.
The warm chili beans, smoky brisket, sweet cornbread and roasted jalapeño all worked together beautifully.
Touchdown. 🏈
🌽 Brisket & Jalapeño Cornbread Bites
You'll need:
- Leftover brisket, chopped into small pieces
- 1–2 roasted jalapeños, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 1 box of your favorite cornbread mix
- Ingredients called for on the cornbread mix
- Cooking spray
- Your favorite chili or chili beans for serving
Here's what I'd do next time:
Prepare the cornbread mix according to the package directions.
Stir the chopped brisket and roasted jalapeños directly into the batter.
Spray a mini muffin pan well with cooking spray and fill each cup about ¾ full.
Bake according to the cornbread mix directions, checking them a little early since mini muffins cook faster than a regular pan.
Serve them on their own, alongside chili—or do what I did and put one right on top of a bowl of chili beans.
And Don't Forget the Leftovers!
That's probably my favorite part of this recipe.
The brisket was leftover.
The jalapeños were leftover from Sunday night's fajitas.
And with a box of cornbread mix and a little creativity, they became something completely different.
I love recipes like that.
You don't always need a complicated recipe or a long grocery list. Sometimes you just need to look around the refrigerator and see what you can turn into something good.
And if your first attempt doesn't look exactly like you planned?
That's okay.
Adjust the play. Keep going. And make dinner.
Because sometimes the best recipes come from a little bit of leftover food, a little bit of creativity, and a whole lot of “Well…let's see what happens.” 😂
🏈 Welcome to Football Season!
Whether you're watching college football on Saturday or the pros on Sunday, I think we've got the perfect excuse to gather around the table, share some food and enjoy the game.
And if things don't go according to plan?
Just pivot.
That's what I'm doing.
Happy Football Season & Happy Foodie Friday!
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