Cast Iron Smoky Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cornbread

Not your everyday cornbread. Smoky bacon, jalapenos and sharp cheddar cheese make this cornbread pop with flavor.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb  smoky bacon
• 1⁄2 cup  diced  jalapeno
• 1 1⁄2 cups  shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 2  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup  plain  Greek yogurt
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1  cup flour
• 3⁄4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place a large cast iron skillet in the oven while preheating.
3. Chop/slice bacon, set aside.
4. Chop/dice jalapenos, set aside.
5. Shred cheese, set aside.
6. In a medium mixing bowl combine the vegetable oil, honey, eggs, yogurt and milk.
7. Whisk well.
8. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients.
9. Whisk to combine.
10. In a medium skillet cook bacon-you want it cooked half way through, NOT crisp.
11. Using a slotted spoon remove bacon, reserve bacon fat.
12. You will want 3 tablespoons of fat. If you need to, add butter and melt it with the fat.
13. To the dry ingredients add the bacon and jalapenos.
14. Stir well to coat.
15. Add the cheese to the dry ingredients.
16. Stir well to coat.
17. Add Wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
18. Using a large spoon or spatula and stir to just combine.
19. Remove hot skillet from oven.
20. Pour in the fat and give it a good swirl to coat the bottom of pan.
21. Scrape your cornbread mixture into hot, coated pan.
22. Return to oven and cook for 40 minutes.
23. Depending on your oven, you may want to give your cornbread the "toothpick" test at 35 minutes.
24. Do test at 40 minutes. If the center is not cooked through cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until done.