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Try these two crave-worthy recipes to savor the season

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Chili Poke Bread

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT TASTE OF THE SOUTH MAGAZINE
from their September/October 2023 Issue

Chili Poke Bread
Makes 12 cups
 

We’ve always loved the combo of chili and cornbread, so why not really go for it with this poke bread version?

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained

  • Cheesy Cornbread (recipe follows)

  • Garnish: shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, sour cream

1. In a large Dutch oven, cook beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Add chili powder, oregano, and cumin, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Add salt, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

3. Add beans, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes more.

4. Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over the top of the warm Cheesy Cornbread, going halfway through cornbread. Pour desired amount of chili over top. Serve with remaining chili. Garnish with cheese, green onions, and sour cream, if desired.

  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk
  • 1 (14.75-ounce) can creamed corn
  • ¼ cup seeded and chopped jalapeño (about 1 medium)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, fl our, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, buttermilk, and corn. Gently stir egg mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in jalapeño and 1 cup cheese. Pour into prepared pan; spread to edges with an off set spatula, and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Tenneessee Stack Cake

Also known as the Appalachian Stack Cake, this glorious cake comes with a rich history and has been a beloved part of Southern foodways for generations. Its conception can be traced back to early settlers of the region who would gather together to celebrate special occasions and events within their mountain communities. Each person would bring a baked layer—typically made with ingredients like dried apples, molasses, spices, and buttermilk—to add to the cake until it towered over just about everything else on the table. These fluff y layers would be stacked high with homemade apple butter slathered between each layer. This dessert reflects the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the early Appalachian people and is still cherished by their descendants today for its rustic charm and nostalgic flavors.

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SOUTHERN CAST IRON MAGAZINE
from their September/October 2023 Issue

Tennessee Apple Stack Cake
Makes 1 (9.-inch) cake
 

Refrigerating this multilayer bake overnight locks in its beloved Appalachian flavors and gives the cake its perfectly tender texture.

Cake:
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
  • 1½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1½ cups sorghum molasses
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lightly packed orange zest
  • 5 cups all-purpose fl our
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 cup hot water
Filling:
  • 2 cups lightly packed chopped dried apples
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (28-ounce) jar apple butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
  • 1½ cups cold heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a 9½-inch square cast-iron skillet with melted butter.
 
2. For cake: In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, and sorghum until combined. Add eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and orange zest, whisking until well combined.
 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together fl our, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to syrup mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, stirring just until combined after each addition. Whisk in 1 cup hot water.
 
4. Divide batter into 6 equal portions, about 1½ cups each, and cover 5 with plastic wrap (to keep from drying out). Pour 1 portion into prepared pan. Tap pan on towel-lined counter to level batter and remove air bubbles.
 
5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and cake starts to pull away from sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert to remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Wipe skillet clean and brush with more melted butter. Repeat procedure with remaining 5 portions of batter.
 
6. For filling: In a large saucepan, combine dried apples and 1 cup water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in apple butter and vanilla until well combined. Let cool completely.
 
7. To assemble: Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Top with about ½ cup apple butter mixture, spreading even and leaving ¼-inch border around edges of cake. Top with another cake layer. Repeat with remaining apple butter mixture and remaining cake layers, stacking layers and leaving top layer plain. Wrap stacked cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
 
8. For topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cold cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Top cake with whipped cream just before serving. Garnish with cinnamon, if desired.
  • If you do not have a square cast-iron skillet, you can use a 9-inch round cast-iron skillet.
  • For faster assembly, prepare all cake layers and the apple butter mixture in advance.
  • This cake tastes best if assembled the day before serving, so all the apple flavor infuses the cake as it sits. Be sure to add the whipped cream and cinnamon just before serving.