Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Great fusion between Southern and Mexican comfort food. Mexican Cornbread Casserole is super easy to make and your kids will love it.

Well, the kids are back in school. This reminds me of the Staples commercial with the Dad dancing down the aisles signing the Christmas song “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. My kids hate when I sing that song. Actually, they just hate it when I sing.

Part of what I love about the kids going back to school, besides me being able to get some work done, is that we get back on a more regimented schedule. But the fall also means we are incredibly busy in the evenings with sports and homework.

Like all busy families, it becomes very difficult to get a good healthy meal on the table, let alone eat together as a family. My job is to provide my family and you my readers, with those recipes. Quick, easy recipes like my Mexican Cornbread Casserole that the kids will enjoy and are so much healthier than take out pizza or fast food.

Leave those for Friday night! That is my night off from cooking.

There are hundreds of version of Mexican Cornbread Casserole recipe on the web. I try to lighten up my version by using ground turkey, low-fat milk and not oil in my cornbread mix. I know I use bacon and cook the onion and turkey in some of the bacon grease but it is only two pieces.

Give me a break, you still need to add some flavor or the kids are not going to eat it anyway. Add a side salad and you have a nutritious quick meal.

Method:

My Mexican Cornbread Casserole can be on the table in about 45 minutes. To speed up the process cook the meat filling the night before. Mix the cornbread batter when you are ready to assemble and this will cut your time in half.

I used two convenience items to make this recipe. First is something new I found at Kroger’s from Herdez. I like the quality of Herdez products and their newest item is Mexican Cooking Sauces. I usually stay away from these types of products because of sodium and preservatives. This product has no preservatives, but the sodium is a still a little high. I only used half a jar to make this recipe but it added plenty of flavors.

Second item is from Kroger’s Private Selection brand of products. Zesty Corn and Black bean frozen vegetable mix is a great hearty convenience item which provides just the right amount of ingredients for a recipe.

Follow me on Facebook – Pinterest – Twitter – Google + – Instagram

Print

Cornbread Mexican Casserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Great fusion between Southern and Mexican comfort food. Mexican Cornbread Casserole is super easy to make and your kids will love it. 

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Quinn Caudill

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, divided
• 2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup 1% milk
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 1 (12 oz) package frozen zesty corn and black bean blend, such as Private Selection by Kroger's
• 1 cup Herdez Roasted Pasilla Chile Mexican Cooking Sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375° F
2. In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp over, medium-high heat. Remove bacon and place on paper towel to drain. Crumble and reserve for cornbread mix.
3. In the same pot add onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent.

4. Add ground turkey to onions and cook until meat is browned. Drain off excess grease. Stir in 2 oz. of green chilies and 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes until seasoning is combined.

5. Add frozen zesty corn and black bean veggies and Herdez Roasted Pasilla Chile Mexican Cooking Sauce; simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes.
6. While meat is simmering, make cornbread mix.
7. Place 2 boxes of dry cornbread mix in a large bowl.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.

9. Add egg mixture, reserved bacon, remaining green chilies, and 2/3 cup shredded cheese to cornbread mix. Stir just to combine. Do not overmix.

10. Lightly grease a 9*13 baking dish with cooking spray.
11. Pour half of the cornbread batter into the bottom of the dish.
12. Spread meat mixture over batter.
13. Top with remaining cornbread batter and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.
14. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
    
    

Recipe Notes

If using 1 lb of ground beef instead of ground turkey, (use only one box of corn muffin mix, 1 egg and 1/3 cup milk). Bake in a 9*9 dish.

For a sweeter cornbread substitute 1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix with 1 box of Jiffy yellow cake mix

This is the first time I have used Herdez Mexican Cooking Sauce . I was pleased with the flavors. Herdez makes 4 varieties of the cooking sauces. I like the fact there is no preservatives but the sodium is a little high.

I will be bringing my Mexican Cornbread Casserole recipe to Freedom Fridays, Friday Favorites, Fiesta Friday, and Weekend Potluck,  Check out my Link Parties page for other great places to find new recipes.

Pin It

You might also like my:

Slow Cooker Ground Turkey Asian Lettuce Wraps

Bacon Cheeseburger Bread Pudding Bake