texmex

Back home in New York, TexMex meant Old El Paso tacos made with ground beef and a packet of taco seasoning loaded into a white tortilla with cheese, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and a dab of Tostitos Salsa! Sounds delicious, right? It really was delicious but that was pretty much the extent of my Texas & Mexican flavor experiences until I was 22 years old and moved to Austin.

Now that I’ve lived in Texas for about 4 years, I’m obsessed with all the Texas flavors like avocados, fresh cilantro, jalapeños, and specialty salsas! I’m also obsessed with the fact that I can find all these locally-sourced products at my neighborhood HEB and this month, HEB is highlighting local Texas products and producers with their #TexFest celebration from February 22nd – March 7th.

Looking for this cute Texas cutting board? Find it at HEB

Inspired by my love for TexMex flavors and HEB’s #TexFest, these Jalapeño Johnnycakes with Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce wrap all my favorite Texas ingredients plus a few local products like Dom’s Chop Salsa from Buda and a dab of Kelley’s Natural Honey from Chicota, into one amazing, TexFest inspired meal that’s fit for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

If you aren’t familiar with Johnnycakes, they’re cornmeal based flatbreads. Personally, I like to think of them as a cross between cornbread and a pancake, as they’re usually rather flat and round like a pancake, but a little fluffier with more texture, similar cornbread. I’ve loaded my Johnnycakes with spicy jalapeño, green onions, corn, and a dab of honey which brings out the sweetness in the corn, then cooked them until they’re golden brown in a skillet.

To compliment the heat of my Jalapeño Johnnycakes, they’re topped with a cool Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce that has just a hint of lime. When spooned over the top of the Jalapeño Johnnycake along with some of Dom’s Chop Salsa, which is made with grilled vegetables for an added smokey flavor, this Johnnycake becomes a loaded bite of #TexFest deliciousness.

These Jalapeño Johnnycakes were everything I imagined them to be when I took my first bite. They were slightly crisp on the outside but light and fluffy with speckled bits of corn and spicy hints of jalapeño inside.

Goregous blue plate via Cocinaware at HEB

The Johnnycakes were kicked up a notch with Dom’s smokey, grilled salsa and immediately cooled down again by the Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce. I silently did a little happy dance while eating these as I was in my own little Texas-flavored heaven!

<3M and I enjoyed the Jalapeño Johnnycakes for dinner one night then again the following day for breakfast. I can even see topping them with a runny egg, a side of bacon or fried chicken if you’re looking to make these into a heartier meal for lunch or dinner.

However you choose to eat them, I hope you enjoy this bite of Texas and swing by your neighborhood HEB for a few locally produced products!

This is recipe is a sponsored post, created by me on behalf of H-E-B. I was compensated for my time and ingredients but all options are my own.

4.8 from 14 reviews

TexFest Inspired Jalapeño Johnnycakes with Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Serves: 12 johnnycakes

Ingredients

• 1½ cups flour
• 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tbsp Kelley's Natural Honey
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 cups 2% or whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 cup corn, cooked — either frozen or fresh
• 1 jalapeno finely diced*
• 2-5 green onions, minced, about ⅓ cup
• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 3 ounces avocado, about half of a large avocado
• ½ cup cilantro
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• ¼ cup vegetable broth or water
• ½ tsp salt, more to taste
• Pinch of pepper
• Dom's Chop Salsa
• additional scallions for serving, optional

Instructions

1. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl whisk the two eggs, Lonestar Honey, and milk together. Pour the milk, honey & eggs into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined using a wooden spoon. Add in the melted butter until fully incorporated. Gently fold in the corn, scallions, and jalapeños.
2. Set the mixture aside for 10-15 minutes before cooking, which will allow the baking powder to activate. In the meantime, make the Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce.
3. In a food processor, add the sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and garlic. Pulse 5-6 times until the cilantro is coarsely chopped. Add the lime juice, vegetable broth, and salt and pepper. Process on high until smooth. Taste and add more salt if desired. If you’d like a thinner sauce, mix it again with an additional 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable broth until your desired consistency is reached.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 250* and place a large baking sheet on the center rack, you’ll use this to keep the johnnycakes warm while the others cook.
5. To cook the johnnycakes, place a large non-stick skillet over medium heat*. Once warm, pour a ¼ cup of batter into the middle and spread it evenly into a large circle, much like a pancake. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until small bubbles become visible on top of the johnnycake. Flip the johnnycake, cooking another 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Place the johnnycake in the oven to keep warm while you finish the remaining johnnycakes using the same cooking method.
6. To serve, stack 2-3 warm johnnycakes on a plate, top with the Avocado & Cilantro Cream Sauce, salsa, and more scallions if desired.
7. Leftover johnnycakes can be frozen then thawed and reheated in the oven as needed at 350* for 5-7 minutes.

Notes

* Use only half of a jalapeno if you'd prefer less spice
** If you do not have a non-stick skillet, melt a bit of butter in the pan prior to cooking the Johnnycakes

3.5.3226