Traditional Cornbread Food

CLASSIC CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until combined (do not overmix). Transfer batter to pan and smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 15 minutes, before serving.

QUICK CORNBREAD WITH HONEY-BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, add egg and milk and whisk together with a fork to combine. Add creamed corn and stir to combine.
• Add the cornbread mix, using a spatula to combine with wet ingredients.
• Scrape cornbread mixture into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven. Cook cornbread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool a bit.
• In a small bowl, add softened butter and honey and stir to combine. Cut cornbread into pieces, and slather honey butter onto the warm cornbread.

REAL SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Put the skillet in the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
• Combine the dry ingredients except for the baking soda in a bowl.
• In another bowl, mix the buttermilk and the baking soda.
• Set aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg with the sugar until combined.
• Add the oil and mix until combined.
• Pour this mixture into the buttermilk/baking soda, and mix.
• When the oven is preheated, toss the butter into the skillet and let it melt.
• Meanwhile, pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix in as few strokes as it takes to just make the dough come together.
• Pull the skillet out of the oven, swirling to get the butter covering the bottom and up the sides of the skillet.
• Pour the batter immediately into the pan, smoothing the top, then back into the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown and pulled away from the sides of the pan.
• Turn out onto a cutting board, cut into wedges and serve.
• NOTE: IMNSHO- cornbread isn't worth making if you don't make it in a cast-iron skillet.
• It may just be my upbringing, but it tastes better somehow.
• And please do not add the baking soda to the dry ingredients.
• I can't explain why, but adding it to the buttermilk makes a big difference in the texture.

CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round cake pan with the cooking spray.
• In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted.
• In a large bowl, beat the melted butter, milk and egg with a fork or wire whisk until well mixed. Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once; stir just until the flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Pour batter into the pan; use a rubber spatula to scrape batter from bowl. Spread batter evenly in pan and smooth top of batter.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

TRADITIONAL SKILLET CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Over low heat, heat a 9-inch cast-iron skillet with a cover. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and nonfat dry milk in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg, 3/4 cup water, and melted butter. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, and pour the egg mixture into it. Stir until just combined.
• Brush bottom, sides, and inside of skillet lid with vegetable oil; pour in the batter. Cover, and cook over low heat until top feels almost dry, about 35 minutes (check the bottom occasionally to make sure it's not burning; lower heat if necessary). Invert onto the skillet cover; oil pan bottom again. Slide bread back into pan, and cook 5 minutes more, until dry and light brown. Transfer to a plate, let cool slightly, and cut into wedges.

TRADITIONAL CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Roast squash in the preheated oven until tender, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once using a metal spatula. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large, deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, onion, celery, leek, and garlic in the hot oil until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add roasted butternut squash, sage, butter, and thyme and continue to saute until vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Stir chicken broth into the pan until well mixed with vegetables. Add cornbread stuffing and mix. Add additional chicken broth if necessary and mix until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and let cool, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix in apple.