Great Grandmother Steinbecks Johnnycake Cornbread Food

GREAT-GRANDMOTHER STEINBECK'S JOHNNYCAKE (CORNBREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch glass baking dish.
• Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, corn oil and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix just until blended. Pour into the prepared pan, and shake gently to level it out.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Serve hot. Just with butter will do, it is plenty sweet enough!

JOHNNYCAKES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and salt with meal in large mixing bowl. Scald with boiling water and stir well. Thin immediately with milk to a mixture that will drop easily from spoon (additional milk may be necessary: mixture should be consistency of thin mashed potato).
• Drop by the spoonful onto medium hot griddle greased with 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or corn oil (do not let griddle get dry). Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until a brown, crunchy crust is formed and inside is soft. Serve hot with butter.

PA'S OLD-FASHIONED JOHNNY CAKE / CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425; grease a 13x9 pan.
• Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl, stir through, make a well in the center.
• In another bowl, add eggs, milk, and oil all at once; blend well.
• Add wet to dry ingredients, stir until moistened (don't over-mix or you'll be sorry!).
• Fold in optional ingredients. Sausage should be in crumbles or bite-size pieces.
• Pour into prepared pan; rap pan on counter-top several times to bounce out the air-bubbles.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes--top will be golden-brown.
• Serve with butter and maple syrup.
• OPTION #1: Add 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese.
• OPTION #2: Add 1/2 - 1 cup of sweet corn (plain kernels); adds a neat "chewy" texture to the 'cake.'
• OPTION #3: Add 6 hard-boiled, chopped eggs.
• OPTION #4: Add 1 pound fried & drained pork sausage (crumbled) or links (bite-size).
• TIME-SAVING HINT: Gather a handful of 1-quart zipper bags, fill with DRY ingredients, and store in your cupboard. At meal-time, add wet ingredients as described.

GRANDMOTHER'S BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease an 8 inch square pan.
• Melt butter in large microwavable bowl.
• Stir in sugar.
• Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended.
• In separate container or large measuring cup, combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in bowl.
• Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

JOHNNYCAKE (SPIDER CORN BREAD)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch iron spider (skillet).
• Mix together the dry ingredients.
• Beat the eggs, mix with the buttermilk and then with the melted butter. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Pour into the greased spider and bake in the hot oven for 25 minutes, until the top is brown and crusty. Serve immediately, cut into pie-shaped wedges.

JOHNNYCAKE BREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil two 5x2 1/2" loaf pans (or one 8 1/2x4 1/2" loaf pan). Whisk flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add eggs, milk, molasses, and 1/4 cup oil; whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter between pans. Sprinkle with maple sugar.
• Bake breads until golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes for small loaves (50-55 minutes for large loaf). Transfer pans to a wire rack and let breads cool 10 minutes before turning out.
• DO AHEAD: Breads can be made 1 day ahead. Store wrapped tightly at room temperature.