Mexican Street Corn Pizza is made with a chipotle mayonnaise sauce, topped with sweet corn, mozzarella, and jalapeno, then finished with cotija, lime juice, Tajin, and cilantro.

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I have posted a corn pizza inspired by a restaurant before and today is yet another. This time it’s a Mexican street corn pizza! Inspired by the Pies & Pints street corn, this pizza is topped with a chipotle-mayo sauce, mozzarella, loads of corn, and jalapeno and then finished with lime, cotija, Tajin, and cilantro.

If you don’t know what Tajin is, you’re missing out. I first discovered it from a foodie friend who told me to try it on mango. To this day, sprinkled over mango is still one of my favorite ways to enjoy this chili-lime seasoning – such as coconut sticky rice with mango. Can’t find any at your store? Thankfully there are homemade Tajin seasoning recipes.

As for this Mexican street corn pizza, while I normally top elote with smoked paprika, I decided Tajin was the right choice for street corn pizza. Don’t have Tajin? You can make homemade Tajin or just substitute with a mixture of chili powder, lime zest, and salt.

But enough about Tajin. Sure it makes the flavors of this pizza pop, the corn is the true star! Make sure you grab some fresh from the Farmers’ Market while it’s still in season to enjoy this pizza in its prime. Sure you could use canned or frozen corn, but it just won’t be as good.

• Brussels Slaw by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Whole Honey Roast Carrots by Art of Natural Living
• Easy Ratatouille Casserole by Blogghetti
• Air Fryer Bell Peppers by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Creamy Ranch Corn & Cucumber Salad with Dill by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Scarlet Sunrise Platter by Magical Ingredients
• Broccoli Tots by Palatable Pastime
• Sourdough Rosemary Focaccia by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Zucchini Panzanella Salad by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Vietnamese Chicken Salad by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Root Vegetable Medley by Our Good Life

MEXICAN STREET CORN PIZZA

Print

Yield: 3-4 Servings Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 Minutes 20 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 recipe pizza dough, risen
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 whole Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2-3 ears of corn, cooked and kernels removed (about 1-1/2 to 2 cups)*
• 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 Tbsp Tajin chili lime seasoning**
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with pizza stone*** on middle rack.
2. Shape the prepared dough into a flattened disk. Place it on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel***, cover it, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Push the dough towards the edges of the peel, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise and chipotle pepper. Spread over the pizza dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the edge. Top with mozzarella, corn, and jalapeno.
4. Using the pizza peel, transfer the pizza to the hot stone in the oven with a few shakes. Bake until toppings are hot and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool slightly before topping with lime juice, cotija, Tajin, and cilantro. Cut and serve.

Notes

*Can use canned or frozen corn but won't be as good. **Can substitute Tajin with chili powder, lime zest, and a little salt. ***If you do not have a pizza peel and/or stone, roll dough out on round pizza pan and bake.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original.

This birria flatbread takes everything you love about birria tacos and serves it up as if it were an open-faced puffy taco. Of course you can also dip the crust in consommé!

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If you’ve ventured out into the world at all in the last two years, I bet you’ve come across the latest taco trend – birria tacos!

Fun fact: Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco and is traditionally a slow-cooked stew made from a combination of chili peppers, goat meat, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme. But here in the USA it’s more commonly made with beef, stuffed into a corn tortilla with oaxaca cheese, fried, and dipped in the broth.

When I set out to make my own birria tacos at home, I gathered up my ingredients after picking through various recipes online, and even though the tacos we made with it were not the most structurally sounds creations, it was absolutely worth it. But then we ran out of tortillas and still had a ton of birria leftover.

Enter, birria flatbread.

This creation was the result my usual trip to the grocery store, where I spied a stack of par-baked flatbread crusts with discount stickers on them. Since we love making random pizzas with whatever we have in the fridge, it seemed like the perfect route (but also could have made thin crust pizza dough).

I topped the flatbread with some of the birria, shredded oaxaca cheese, and toast them up into gooey goodness. Sprinkled chopped onion and cilantro on top and it was like an open-faced birria puffy taco. Especially when dipping the crust into the consommé!

But the first time I made it I had no plans to share the recipe until after I ate it. So back to the store I went for more discount flatbread crusts to make it again for you! The sacrifices I make…

BIRRIA FLATBREAD

Print

Yield: 4-6 Servings Prep Time: 10 Hours Cooking Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

BIRRIA

• 8 cups water
• 4 lb. boneless beef chuck roast or beef shank*, cut into 4-inch cubes
• 1/2 large white onion
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp dried ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 sprigs fresh marjoram (or oregano)
• 1 sprig fresh mint
• 2 springs fresh thyme

SAUCE

• 4 dried guajillo chiles
• 4 dried arbol chilies
• 4 dried chipotle chiles
• 2 dried ancho chiles
• 2-3 cups water
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 large white onion
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

FLATBREAD

• 2 par-baked flatbread crusts (or one recipe thin crust pizza dough divided in half)
• 1 cup prepared birria
• 8 oz. Oaxaca cheese, shredded
• Chopped onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

1. In a slow cooker add water, beef, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, oregano, marjoram, mint, and thyme . Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until cooked through and tender.
2. Remove the beef, discard fat pieces, shred meat, and place back in the slow cooker with the liquid.
3. While the meat cooks, prepare the sauce. Preheat a large Dutch oven over low heat and add the chilies to toast them, turning as needed for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Once cool enough to touch, remove seeds and stems, and place in a large bowl.
5. In a small pot, bring the water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the peppers. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
6. Place the cooled chiles, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, and liquid in blender. Blend until smooth.
7. Strain red chile sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard skins and seeds. When the meat has been shredded, add the sauce the slow cooker and stir (this is the consommé).
8. Preheat oven to 425 F.
9. Top both flatbread crusts evenly with 1/2 cup birria each, followed by shredded cheese. Place topped flatbread directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
10. Top with chopped onion and cilantro. Slice and serve with lime and consommé.

Notes

* I use boneless short ribs

Source: Adapted from Muy Bueno Cookbook and Girl Carnivore.

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Welcome to day two of #HotSummerEats, featuring recipes from 18 bloggers that are perfect for summer cookouts, bonfires, ice cream socials, and cocktail hours. Not only will you find over a hundred summery recipe posts, but you can enter to win our awesome giveaway, courtesy of some amazingly generous donations from sponsoring companies. Use the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post to enter and for more details CLICK HERE.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of grilling? For me it is kabobs. I love how simple it is to prepare by just marinading some meat and chopping up some veggies. And my favorite part is the assembly because they just look so pretty all put together! Kabobs: making meat photogenic since who-knows-when. Seriously though, I’m sure my fellow food bloggers can attest to the trials of photographing meat without some sort of sauce or topping to jazz it up and redirect your attention.

In addition to the usual suspects, these particular kabobs have an extra element added to them – pineapple. How glorious is grilled pineapple? All that caramelization combined with the chipotle marinade and the smokey date sauce means these kabobs cannot be beat. And then I went ahead and served them over a bed of cilantro-lime rice. Because I’m addicted to the Casabella juicer and needed a just as easy side to pair with these kabobs.

One year ago: Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Ice Cream

Two years ago: Simple Chicken & Sweet Pepper Stir Fry

Three years ago: Strawberries and Cream Pie

Four years ago: Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie

CHIPOTLE-PINEAPPLE CHICKEN KABOBS WITH SMOKEY DATE SAUCE & CILANTRO-LIME RICE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

KABOBS

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 24 chunks

1 (8 oz.) bag of mini bell peppers (about 12) cut in half lengthwise

1 red onion, cut into 24 chunks

1 fresh cored pineapple, sliced and cut into 24 chunks (juice reserved)

1/2 cup Not Ketchup smokey date sauce, plus more for serving

MARINADE

1/4 cup pineapple juice

1/4 cup T.Lish chipotle vinaigrette

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

CILANTRO-LIME RICE

1 cup rice

1-1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden cilantro paste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the pineapple juice, dressing, soy sauce, and honey. Place the chicken chunks in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 4-8 hours.
2. Thread the ingredients onto 8 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes prior), alternating items, putting 3 pieces of each onto each kabob. Set aside.
3. In a medium pot, stir together the rice and water. Cook according to package directions. Once cooked, stir in lime juice and cilantro.
4. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates and then place the kabobs on the grill. Cook over medium-high heat, turning and brushing with the date sauce often, for 12-15 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked.
5. Divide rice onto four plates and top with two skewers each. Serve with additional date sauce.

Source: Inspired by The Gunny Sack.

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Disclaimer – Thank you to #HotSummerEats sponsors BenBella Vegan, Caribeque, Casabella, Gourmet Garden, Intensity Academy, Not Ketchup, Out of the Weeds. Pirate Jonny’s, Quirk Books, Spicely Organics, T.Lish , and Voodoo Cheffor providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for#HotSummerEats without additional compensation.All opinions are my own.

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Step aside traditional grilled cheese, this BBQ Mac & Cheese Sandwich means business. With chipotle cheddar, BBQ chicken, and mac & cheese between two slices of Texas toast.

Not only is April Grilled Cheese Month but today is Grilled Cheese Day! Seems a bit overkill to have a day within the same month in which is it celebrated but I will never complain about any excuse to have cheese.

I decided to match the intensity of a double holiday with a loaded grilled cheese sandwich inspired by “The Mempho” from a restaurant in Memphis called Patrick’s. Since I moved, I sometimes go through Memphis-food withdrawal and now you get to reap the benefits of my recreation attempts.

This trip down taste-bud-memory lane involves a grilled cheese sandwich with pulled BBQ pork, Swiss cheese, mac and cheese, and caramelized onions all sandwiched between two slices of Texas-style bread. Using my slow cooker BBQ recipe, I made mine with pulled BBQ chicken (cooked with onion in it), chipotle cheddar cheese, and garlic butter Texas toast instead! And of course since that isn’t enough there’s still plenty of mac and cheese sandwiched in there as well. Maybe go ahead and serve some cheesy cauliflower casserole on the side while you are at it.

The recipe makes one sandwich (it is Single Serving Sunday after all) but I trust your math skills are sufficient enough to make more if needed.

Want some other grilled cheese inspiration? Or feeling a bit timid to tackle this one? Try my grilled three cheese sandwich, grilled mac & cheese sandwich, or caprese salad grilled cheese sandwich.

Get Your Grilled Cheese On!

• Bacon Tomato Grilled Cheese from Palatable Pastime
• Brie and Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwich from That Recipe
• Chicken Parm Grilled Cheese from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Chili Crisp Grilled Cheese from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Grilled Ham and Cheese from Art of Natural Living
• Hatch Chili Potato Grilled Cheese from Magical Ingredients
• Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese from Jen Around the World

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Two years ago: Baked Peanut Butter Cup Banana Pancakes

Three years ago: Cake Batter Puppy Chow

Four years ago: Homemade Olive Garden Salad and Dressing

THE MEMPHO (GRILLED BBQ MAC & CHEESE SANDWICH)

Print

Yield: 1 serving Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 slices frozen garlic butter Texas Toast, thawed
• 2 slices spicy cheddar cheese (I used Cabot's chipotle cheddar)
• 1/4 cup leftover macaroni and cheese, warmed
• 1/4 cup leftover pulled BBQ pork or chicken, warmed

Directions

1. Preheat a small skillet over medium heat.
2. Place one slice of bread onto skillet, add 1 slice of cheese, followed by macaroni, meat, and another slice of cheese. Top with a second slice of bread.
3. Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted.
4. Slice and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from my Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwich, inspired by The Mempho at Patrick’s.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Nut-crusted chicken is one of my favorite ways to prepare chicken. This obsession started when I first made this recipe with my friend Brandi years ago, pre-blogging years. While unpacking, sifting through a pile of recipes long forgotten, I rediscovered this guy and it quickly was thrown onto the menu. This time I combined it with another one of my favorite chicken-cooking techniques: oven-frying. The result? Crispy, citrusy, spicy. Serve along with a spinach salad and it’s healthy dinner time!

P.S. The Weber root beer gets special mention for being one of the best root beers I have had from my Seattle root beer shopping spree. I still need to unpack all my bottles to fill in more of my root beer collection list.

One year ago: Cream Cheese and Bell Pepper Stuffed Chicken

Three years ago: Buttermilk Pecan Waffles

Four years ago: Spaghetti with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

ORANGE PECAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 to 1-1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded 1/4-inch thin

1/2 cup pecan halves

1/4 cup plain Panko bread crumbs

1-1/2 tsp freshly grated orange zest (I used a mandarin orange)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper

1 egg white

1 tsp water

Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet and coat rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place pecans, bread crumbs, orange zest, salt and ground chipotle in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish.
3. Place the egg white and water in a second shallow bowl and lightly beat. Dip the chicken into the egg then coat with the bread crumbs. Arrange on prepared rack and spray tops with cooking spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
4. Serve immediately with spinach side salad.

Source: Adapted from Eating Well. Cooking method from my Oven-Fried Chicken & Biscuit Waffles.

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While we are on the subject of errors, I specifically bought scallions to garnish this dish and totally forgot. Apparently I was so hungry while taking photos that I didn’t stop to notice or care because all I wanted to to was devour it! With its beautiful colors, creaminess and crunchy topping staring at me, you could hardly blame me. There was also plenty of kick. Mild-taste buds beware: you may way to omit the chipotle and use a mild salsa.

One year ago: Applesauce-Sweet Potato Pancakes

Two years ago: Crème Brulee

Three years ago: Big, Fat, Chewy Multichip Cookies

FIESTA ALFREDO PASTA BAKE

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

16 oz. elbow or other spirally pasta

2 lb. leftover cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 small red pepper, diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans rinsed and drained

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tsp taco seasoning

1 (15 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce

1/4 cup milk

1 cup salsa

1 chioptle pepper in adobo sauce, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated pepperjack cheese

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 to 3 scallions, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish and set aside. Cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine the onion, red pepper, black beans, salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Toss together. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, milk, salsa and chipotle. Add the cheese and chicken. Pour the pasta into the Alfredo mixture and toss to coat. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with panko and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until sauce is bubbling and top is golden.
3. Serve topped with minced scallions.

Source: Adapted slightly from Girl Carnivore, originally from Taste of Home.

Chili’s best friend got a makeover. Meet the chipotle cornbread muffins that you won’t believe are gluten-free.

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What goes better with chili than cornbread? Cheesy chipotle cornbread! I have already shared a jalapeno cornbread from which this recipe is adapted from, but changed the jalapeno to chipotle, substituted half the oil with Greek yogurt, and used gluten-free flour in order to cater to my gluten-intolerant friend. The best thing about this recipe is it’s ease of preparation. The ingredients are all mixed in one bowl and is very forgiving, as made evident by my substitutions.

The only complaint I heard while we devoured chili with these cornbread muffins was the chunks of onion, but I think that is a matter of texture preference. You could leave them out all together but you run the risk that they might not be as moist. I would suggest either mincing the onion or using a cheese grater in order to reduce the size of onion chunks.

Guess what? I graduate and get my PhD hood 1 month from today!

• The Best Baked Corn Casserole by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
• Homemade Old-Fashioned Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Twice Baked Potatoes by Blogghetti
• Palak Paneer Cornbread by Magical Ingredients
• Carrot Souffle by Shockingly Delicious
• Pumpkin Dinner Rolls by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Cabbage Salad with Oranges and Pecans by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese by Sneha’s Recipe
• Herbed Garlic Potatoes by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

One year ago: Streusel-Topped Milky Way Apple Butter Bread

GLUTEN-FREE CHIPOTLE CORNBREAD MUFFINS

Print

Yield: 2 Dozen

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 cups yellow corn meal
• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1 (14.75 oz.) can cream style corn
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped*
• 1-1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1-3/4 cup 2%  milk
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two muffin pans; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Divide mixture into cups of the prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs.
3. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack, or serve warm.

Notes

* Use a cheese grater if you prefer less noticeable pieces of onion in your corn bread.

Source: Adapted from my mom’s Jalapeno Cornbread.

Post updated 10/31/2024, photos above and below are the originals.

After Kita mentioned that she thought there was an uneven proportion of cheese to pasta, I decided to double the pasta instead of reducing the cheese. Because when is there ever too much mac and cheese? Also, the recipe originally called for cayenne pepper and sour cream but I did not have cayenne (apparently forgot to add it to my grocery list after finishing it off), so I used chipotle chile pepper and you all know how much I love substituting things like sour cream with Greek yogurt.

In the end, it was much better than the spicy mac and cheese I’ve made before but it wasn’t quite as creamy as some others. However, the flavors definitely outweighed the slightly less creamy nature. I especially enjoyed the textural addition of croutons on top. I will definitely reheat the leftovers in my toaster-oven to ensure those crunch-factors don’t get chewy!

One year ago: Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Two years ago: Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

SPICY MACARONI AND CHEESE

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

CROUTONS

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

4 slices white bread cut into 1/2-inch squares

Salt

PASTA

8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz. colby cheese, shredded

8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded

4 cups cooked elbow pasta, almost al dente

CUSTARD

2 tsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chipotle chile pepper

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 cup lowfat plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% Chobani)

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup grated yellow onion

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Toast the bread cubes in the butter until golden – about 5-6 minutes.
2. Remove to a paper towel lined plate, season with a pinch of salt, and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish, and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, toss together the cheddar, colby and pepper jack cheeses.
5. In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta and 3/4 of the mixed cheese and set aside.
6. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard, and nutmeg. Add in the sour cream, egg, onion, heavy cream and half-and-half and whisk until smooth and combined.
7. Pour the custard over the pasta and cheese blend and mix well. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.
8. Bake uncovered for about 35 minutes until the cheese is just about set and top is beginning to brown.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle on the croutons and return back to the oven for another 10 minutes or so until everything is golden brown.

Source: Adapted slightly from Sunny’s Kitchen:  Easy Food for Real Life by Sunny Anderson.

Amp up you white chili game by preparing it in a cast iron, with pepperjack cornbread baked on top, and served with chipotle crema!

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It’s finally cooling down which means it’s chili time!

Normally when I crave chili I gravitate towards my dad’s classic beef and bean version, but sometimes I like a little variety with chicken, known as white chili or in this case ghost chili for the upcoming spooky holiday.

I have shared a white chicken chili before and this recipe today is an adaptation from that. The updates included hominy, red bell pepper, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream,  a cornbread topping, and served with a chioptle crema.

It’s also prepared in a large cast iron skillet so you can throw it in the oven in order to bake the cornbread right on top. Less dishes!

This chili was already a favorite of mine, but the addition of the cornbread topping won me over all over again. The sweetness from the cornbread perfectly balanced out the spiciness of the chili.

I chose a boxed mix in order to cut down on prep time but you can use a boxed mix or your favorite cornbread recipe. Just make sure to not overfill the skillet when adding the raw batter, otherwise it will overflow as it bakes and expands.

I know from experience – hahaha.

Looking for more chili recipes? You’re in luck because this post is also part of a virtual #ChiliCookOff!

We have delicious recipes from across the country to get your chili making to the next level of delicious!

• Beef Chorizo and Bean Chili from Cheese Curd In Pardise
• Chasen’s Chili from That Recipe
• Slow Cooker Chicken Chilifrom A Day in the Life on the Farm
• White Chicken Chili from Making Miracles
• Salsa Verde White Chicken Chili from Sweet Beginnings
• Chili Impossible Pie from Shockingly Delicious
• Slow Cooker Chili Verde with Pork from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Turkey Chili Verde (Instant Pot) from Palatable Pastime
• Ghost Chili with Cornbread Topping and Chipotle Crema from The Spiffy Cookie

Post updated 10/23/20, photos above and below are the originals.

GHOST CHILI WITH CORNBREAD TOPPING AND CHIPOTLE CREMA

Print

Yield: 6-8 servings Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

CHIPOTLE CREMA

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt

CHILI

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can white hominy, drained and rinsed (or white corn)
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

CORNBREAD TOPPING

• 1 box cornbread mix, plus ingredients (or favorite recipe)
• 3/4 cup shredded Pepperjack cheese, divided

Directions

1. The day before, prepare the chipotle crema.  In the bowl of a food processor or blender, add all ingredients. Process on high speed until smooth. Refrigerate overnight in an airtight container.
2. The next day, in a 12-inch cast iron skillet*, sauté chicken, onion and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, corn, stock, chiles, bell pepper, and seasonings (in order through bay leaf).  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
3. When 5 minutes remain, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Remove chili from heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cilantro, sour cream and whipping cream.
5. In a large bowl, mix the cornbread ingredients together, including 1/2 cup of the pepperjack. Spoon over the chili, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the sides**.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the remaining pepperjack on top. Return to the oven until melted, about 2 minutes.
7. Allow to cool slightly, then serve topped with chipotle crema and additional cilantro, if desired.

Notes

* Don't own a very large cast iron skillet? Use a Dutch oven, or large oven-safe pot instead. ** If you have too much cornbread batter, bake leftovers in a muffin pan.

Did you make this recipe? I want to see!
Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

Cheese balls are great party dips because not only are they delicious, they look fun! Today I am sharing a rare breed of cheese balls – avocado. I served this along with the taco bar I talked about yesterday, and it tastes like a creamier version of guacamole due to the use of cream cheese. But it wasn’t just any old guacamole ball because I threw in corn, cotija cheese and chipotle peppers. This cheese ball also made an appearance at my friend’s bachelorette party/weekend in Toronto and everyone was hovering around it until it was all gone. Would definitely be great for the upcoming July 4 holiday as well!

Speaking of bachelorette parties, I actually attended two on back to back weekends which is why I’ve been a bit MIA from social media. The first was in Columbus, OH. We went swimming/diving/water sliding at an Olympic size pool because it was a gorgeous day to be outside and hot enough to find a large bowl of water very appealing (it was like I carried the heat of Memphis up with me), then afterwards had a casual dinner and a fun night out just like the old days in our undergrad years. Yet somehow I failed miserably at getting many photos – so unlike me :-(.

The following weekend was a bit more involved. I hauled myself up even further north to Toronto where we toured a distillery, learned Bollywood dancing, shopped around some markets, flew on a trapeze (video on FB), and finished the weekend off with a nice dinner out and a VIP table at a club downtown. Then I got to drive allll the way back down to Memphis to my attention-deprived cat.

If that wasn’t enough, the week in between those two weekends I started writing the into to my dissertation. Talk about lots of work that needs to be done. After the past week and a half, I think I could sit down in front of this cheese ball and eat just that for dinner. Then again, I may never fit into those bridesmaid dresses if I keep eating like I have this past week!

One year ago: Red, White & Berry Shortcakes

Two years ago: Mojito Fruit Dip

AVOCADO CHEESE BALL

Makes 1 cheese ball

Ingredients:

2 (8 oz.) packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

1 lime, juiced

2 large avocados, peeled and diced

1/3 cup corn kernels

2 chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce, minced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup finely chopped cooked turkey bacon

1 Tbsp chili powder

Tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, blend together the cream cheese, cotija cheese and lime juice.
2. Stir in avocado, corn, chipotle chile peppers, cilantro and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Form into a ball with hands (refrigerate first if too soft). Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a bowl to hold it’ shape and refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, mix chili powder and chopped bacon and place in a shallow dish.
5. Roll cheese ball in mixture and serve with tortilla chips.

Source: Adapted from La Fuji Mama and Nibbles & Feasts.