Saturday, April 4, 2020

Let There Be......Cornbread!

I decided to try my hand at something a bit different today, and it came out stunningly well.

This picture was taken literally 5 minutes after I pronounced it cool enough to eat.



This is the first time I've made a non-yeast type bread, so I was extremely careful not to over mix it. You have a fixed amount of leavening in it, and after it burns out, it better be baked! Mix your dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls, then dump the wet stuff into the dry stuff (W-Stoff and D-Stoff?) all at once. Whisk it all together just enough to combine it all and get all the dry stuff completely wetted by the wet stuff. It'll look more like a "batter" than a "dough". Dump it into a buttered glass baking dish, pop it into a preheated oven, and wait about 20 minutes. When the sides pull in and the top is brown, stick a knife in the middle, and if it comes out clean, you're done!

It came out with a nicely crunchy top crust, and a soft, moist inside with a great texture.

I'm calling this one "Outta The Park and Across The Parking Lot" good.

I've always liked cornbread, but this is the first time I've ever made it, and the first time since I was knee-high to a married grasshopper that I've had it fresh out of the oven.

Super simple to make, and you spend more time cleaning up and waiting for it to bake than you do actually making it.

22 comments:

  1. I know you like to build from scratch, but try this if you get a chance...
    We eat no other.

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/1-Box-Jiffy-Corn-Muffin-Mix-8-5-Oz/10448133

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My wife used to buy that.

      Delete
    2. I've done it both ways, and even though they taste the same, the psychological advantage of the scratch stuff gives it the leg up.

      Delete
  2. Not on my diet plan now but in the past.........

    ReplyDelete
  3. To do a good Southern Cornbread, use a cast iron frying pan.

    Heat the oven with the pan in it.

    Make Southern Cornbread.

    3 eggs
    1 1/2 cup milk
    3 cups self-rising cornbread (or 2 cups cornmeal, 1 cup self-rising flour)
    and...
    1 stick of Butter (hey, it's a southern thing.)

    Place large frying pan in oven.
    Set oven to 425.
    Beat eggs and milk in a large metal bowl.
    Toss stick of butter into the frying pan that is in the oven (yes, it will sizzle and melt, that's what it's supposed to do.)
    Mix dry ingredients with eggs and milk.
    When butter is melted, pull pan out of the oven.
    Pour butter into cornbread mixture and stir.
    Pour buttered mixture into hot frying pan.
    Put in oven.
    Cook for 35 - 40 minutes.

    Serve wedges, cut in half, buttered (because it's Southern.)

    The hot pan and hot butter will leave a good crust on the sides and bottom of the cornbread.

    Perfect for chili or a good pot of beans, or for a very Southern breakfast or midnight snack of crumbled up cornbread in milk (yes, cornbread without additional butter but with milk.)

    This cornbread recipe also makes a nice stiff but crumbly cornbread for dressings or stuffings.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I slathered the glass pan with butter, and because I didn't realize we had "cooking oil", I used a full stick of butter to make up for the missing 1/4c "cooking oil".

      One of the recipes I read used the iron skillet/stick of butter method, but I couldn't find SLW's cast-iron stuff, so I dropped back 10 yards and used the glass dish.

      She was quite amused when she saw the way I was using the whisk. Then she mentioned I must have moved up a grade in Baking School because they were letting me play with milk and eggs this time.

      Still gonna try cinnamon rolls, but small bags of flour are scarce right now.

      Delete
    2. My father would rise from the grave and beat me to death if I tried to use a glass pan.

      Not to mention my darling wife would do the same thing (beating me to death.)

      Delete
  4. That really looks delicious. I'm salivating like Pavlov's dog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You could easily whip up a batch, LL. Don't even need a fancy mixer like I used to make other breads.

      From start to finish is an hour.....

      Delete
  5. This recipe is a bit sweeter and incorporates two cups of blueberries (frozen berries worked well).
    We tried it first, then served it to the world's toughest food critics, family. They polished it off, and asked for more.
    https://www.copymethat.com/r/QMGxcqS/blueberry-cornbread-with-honey-butter/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hadn't thought of adding blueberries to it. Makes it into a gigantic muffin!

      Delete
    2. The texture is lighter than regular cornbread and it's a bit sweeter. Cornbread dessert cake.

      Delete
  6. Cornbread is quick and easy... Always has been, and a staple at my table forever. Leftover cornbread with butter and molasses for breakfast isn't bad either! ;-0

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was surprised how easy and fast it was.

      Now if I can find a store that has flour....

      Delete
  7. Looks pretty darn good!
    There are a million corn bread recipes, my fav from my granny uses buttermilk and cream corn in the mix, in a cast iron skillet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes, it's delicious! My SLW puts honey (Raw, Unfiltered, Local Hive) on hers. I just eat it plain as it's plenty sweet.

      Delete
  8. a cinnamon roll recipe you might like:
    https://delishrecipes.net/outnumbered-one-hour-cinnamon-rolls/?fbclid=IwAR3RJO_zoWEaMTwITSUewjr4A9lXyffHevLDQoQGdz7KfJ8FYLPID_uNkWk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll give those a try when I get some more flour.

      I was going to go try and find some today, but my PT session was rough, and I didn't feel like traipsing all over town...

      Delete
  9. add in 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese and 1-2 diced jalapenos before baking and by all means use that cast iron skillet to bake it in. Bob's Red Mill cornbread mix is also a good place to start.

    Fred G

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My wife can't eat hot peppers, but adding some cheese to it sounds good!

      Delete

Keep it civil, please....

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