Thanks for all your positive comments about the family favorites project. It's nice to know that it's not just my kids who will benefit from these posts. And now the series continues....
Because of an overwhelming number of requests for cornbread, I will do that next. Ok, it really was only Melinda, but how could I refuse such a sweetie? Also, the request dovetails nicely with my plans because I always serve cornbread with chili. Cream goes with peaches, peanut butter goes with chocolate, and cornbread goes with chili.
Now some of you may be laboring under the delusion that cornbread is cornbread. Not so, gentle readers. There are some who say the war between the states was fought over states' rights; there are some who say it was over slavery; and there are some who would say it was over cornbread.
Mark Lowry, a comedian from the South, says that sugar in cornbread is not of God. (You can hear his whole riff on Southern vs. Northern cooking here.) Well, if that's the case then put my name down in the godless cornbread column because I make Yankee cornbread. It's moist, not too crumbly, and has sugar in it. Then it's topped with butter and honey (or honey butter, made by creaming together equal parts of honey and softened butter) and a panful is gone in a flash. There's particular jockeying to get the center piece as that's the moistest piece, but no one will admit to it.
Yankee Cornbread
- adapted from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar*
1 Tbsp double-acting baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil**
1- Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.
2- In a medium bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3- In a small bowl with a fork, beat together egg, milk and vegetable oil. Pour this mixture all at once into the flour mixture. Stir just until flour is moistened and quickly pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4- Spread batter evenly and bake 25 minutes or until golden. Cut into 9 squares and serve.
* To make a more righteous cornbread, reduce the sugar to 2 Tbsp.
** You can substitute 1/3 cup melted butter for the vegetable oil, but I honestly don't think it makes a taste difference.
20 comments:
We just made Dorie's corn muffins! They were fabulous! I will have to try your recipe too! I love having cornbread in the fall/winter with soups, etc.
Sugar in cornbread is not of God? I've never heard it phrased that way precisely but I have to say I completely agree, so I'm glad to see the adaptation you give to have a more righteous cornbread. ;)
And I agree that the center piece is the piece to have, although I'll freely admit to scheming to make sure that piece is mine.
The picture is gorgeous, as always.
ahh, yum! i love cornbread. now i want chili! this looks tasty :)
"When you bite into cornbread it's supposed to suck 90% of the moisture out of your body." Oh yes, such a classic sketch. I'm glad to have this recipe - it's one that I'm very fond of.
Lynn, you're a sweetheart! I'm making chili with cornbread for dinner tonight! :)
I'm on your side - I like sugar in my cornbread! And I agree, you can't have chili without cornbread!
You're right. Cornbread and Chili were meant for each other. Although (and this is just between us ;-), I'll often sneak a bite, or two for breakfast, with a little butter and a drizzle of honey.
Makes me wish your plate of fluffy cornbread was in front of me right now.
I am so honoured to have the cornbread made just for me...and your family! I love cornbread and I suppose it was darn ole Yankee cornbread I grew up on. I do like a bit of sugar added. I love whipped butter and honey to melt on top too.
Thank you for the recipe you use Lynn. I would get on in the family well as i like the edges of the cornbread. I like a 'bit of rough' as they say here! LOL.
I actually had welcome home Chili for my daughter this evening sans the cornbread. I should have made a better effort!
X
Oooh, fabulous cornbread!!! May I request that you make some blondies, or perhaps something with carob?? :0)
I guess that makes my southern cornbread the 'righteous' kind. Both look yummy to me!
This post cracked me up--and count me with the godless. I am probably even more godless than you--I might up that sugar still more!
Have you ever noticed that southern soul food cornbread is sweet though? Seems to be some sort of division going on down there on the topic as well....
Yeah cornbread! My friend just brought me his great grandma's cast iron corn bread pan. I think I have a recipe to go in it now!
I love a sweet cornbread, and honey-butter is a must! This looks great. Needs some chili though :)
So sorry Lynn, sugar in cornbread - that's just wrong. I hope we can still be friends. You are right: chili and cornbread do belong together - just not with sugar ;0)
i don't mind a little sugar in my cornbread, but don't you dare call me a yankee! :) and don't you dare tell my grandpa--he'd disown me in a flash. :)
I grew up eating cornbread with no sugar. It was yummy indeed. My mom would heat oil in a cast iron skillet add cornmeal and then pour in the batter. She would then place the skillet in a hot oven. what an awsome crust the cornbread had.
I made this for my husband when we were first married...he looked at me and said this is not cornbread. So, I began making cornbread his way, the more sugar the better.
Now I can honestly say I like it both ways. Yours sounds great, I will have to give it a try.
I've only had cornbread once, made by an American friend, with corn chowder, can't remember if there was sugar in it. It was good!
Baked a disaster one myself but I need to try again. The combination with chowder or chili sounds great.
hahahah...great post! I made some cornbread about a week ago with very little sugar and the husband gave it a thumbs down! Maybe I will try this version instead :) We're moving south (South Carolina), but I guess we will always be Yankees ;)
Your cornbread looks delicious. I can always eat cornbread, especially with some melted butter on top!!!!
I love sweet cornbread and I agree that a bowl of chili or stew is not complete with out it! Lovely recipe.
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