CORN BREAD SLOPPY JOE

     Every now and then I feel like I am stuck in a rut when it comes to the ingredients I buy to cook with.  Our freezer is chock full of frozen organic meats which is very nice and very handy, but when it comes to chicken all we have are whole chickens which can be limiting when you're in the mood for something different.  So this weekend I decided to pick up some Holdanca Farms Pastured Perfection Ground Chicken.  I have to say I think this is the first time I've ever bought ground chicken if you can believe it. 

    Flipping through my cookbooks I came across this recipe and man was it ever good.  After making it though there are a few things I'd change in addition to my interpretation of the original.  I didn't have any tomato sauce so I used half tomato salsa and pureed canned tomatoes for the other half.  I also added the spinach and carrot and omitted the green pepper because they're not in season and I didn't have any.  Since I love my own cornbread recipe so much I substituted making it from scratch rather than using a boxed corn muffin mix, while at the same time omitting the fresh corn kernels because I didn't have any of those either.  The original recipe also calls for way more cornbread, as you can see in the photo.  Scott and I both ended up cutting the bottom crust off so we could have thinner pieces and it was way better that way so the recipe I've included uses a smaller batch.  Enjoy!

 BBQ SLOPPY CHICKEN PAN PIZZA

(adapted from Rachel Ray 365: No Repeats)

1 cup organic finely ground cornmeal

1/2 cup organic unbleached flour

1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup organic milk

2 organic eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp melted organic butter

2 Tbsp e.v olive oil

1 pound ground pasture raised and/or organic chicken

3 cloves organic garlic, smashed and chopped

1 organic onion, chopped

4-5 cups organic frozen or cooked and chopped fresh spinach

1 organic carrot, shredded

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp organic chili powder

1 1/2 tsp ground organic cumin powder

2 tsp hot sauce

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 cup tomato sauce or salsa

3 Tbsp local honey

10 oz shredded organic cheddar

3 Tbsp chopped organic cilantro

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flours, baking powders, sea salt and sugar.  Mix in the eggs, milk and butter.  Rub some olive oil into a large cast iron skillet, pour in batter and bake until the cornbread becomes light golden in colour 12-15 mins.

     Place a second skillet over medium high heat and the 2 Tbsp of olive oil.  Add the chicken and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Once the chicken begins to brown, add the garlic, onion, spinach, carrot and season with salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce.  Cook for 5 minutes then add the worcestershire, tomato sauce, and honey.  Stir to combine and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer until the cornbread is ready.  Adjust the seasonings to taste.

     Remove the cornbread from the oven and cover it with the chicken, then sprinkle with the cheese.  Put the pan back into the hot oven and cook for 5-10 minutes longer to melt the cheese. Remove from oven and top with cilantro and serve.