Shrimp Chili Cornbread Casserole

The cold weather is here to stay. I love Fall Foods and I was craving some comfort food over the weekend. I thought of a recipe that made my mouth water when I first saw it, it can be considered a savory cobbler. I served with Couscous and white Wine. It came out of the oven nice and steamy - perfect for a cold evening. This recipe gained a spot on my "favorite recipes" binder.

Shrimp Chili Cornbread Casserole (adapted from Cooking Light)

Shrimp chili:
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium zucchini, diced (about 5 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium diced tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds small shrimp, (41-50 per pound), peeled and deveined
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cornbread topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup nonfat, milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg

To prepare filling: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in zucchini; cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in Old Bay, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and salt; cook for 20 seconds. Pour in tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Stir in shrimp and cilantro. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Use only half of the liquid from the chili - discard the other half. It won't evaporate much in the oven so if you use everything it will be quite soggy.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare cornbread topping: Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk milk, oil, egg and honey in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Drop by heaping tablespoons over the shrimp mixture.

Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling, 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.