Red Velvet Cornbread

If we eat with our eyes, then this cornbread is a feast in and of itself. The bright magenta color doesn't come from a bottle, but from a single roasted beet that's mixed into the dry flour. Wasn't it nice of us to give sweet, lowly, humble cornbread a visual lift? It's like we plugged it into the wall and flipped the switch to neon.

This inaugural batch became a part of one of our favorite dinners: cornbread, peas, and greens. We added more roasted beets to the top just because they're delicious. 

Red Velvet Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup diced roasted beets
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup smoked cheddar

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper

1/4 cup butter + 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet into a cold oven and preheat it to 400 degrees. In the work bowl of your food processor, mix together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, roasted beets, baking powder, and salt. Blend until beets are completely incorporated into the flour and the mixture has taken on a pink hue. In a medium bowl, mix together the cheddar, pepper, melted butter, honey, eggs, milk, and yogurt and whisk. 

Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just incorporated. Using a sturdy, reliable oven mitt, carefully remove the hot cast-iron skillet from the oven and place it onto a trivet. Place the remaining tablespoon of butter into the skillet and swirl it or use a silicone brush to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and place the pan into the oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes. Run a knife around the edge and turn the cornbread out onto a cutting board. Serve hot with greens and black eyed peas. (Serves 4-6.)