Upside Down Cornbread Food

UPSIDE-DOWN PEACH CORNBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar along with the cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring, until the sugar is melted and begins to bubble, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• Arrange the peaches in the bottom of the skillet, fanning out in a circular pattern. Set aside.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat the remaining 9 tablespoons butter together with the granulated sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. On low speed, add half the dry ingredients, half the milk, the remaining dry ingredients, then the remaining milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat just until everything is well mixed, scraping down the bowl once. (Use a spatula to be sure there are no dry ingredients stuck to the bottom of the bowl.) Drop the batter in large dollops over the peaches in the skillet, then use an offset spatula to gently smooth it out, being careful not to disturb the peaches.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and puffed and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. While the cake is still warm, run a butter knife around the outside, then invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm.

UPSIDE-DOWN COWBOY CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium-low heat until just crispy. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings; discard or reserve for another use.
• Place pepper rings in single layer in drippings in skillet, and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until peppers soften. Remove skillet from heat. Turn peppers, keeping in single layer.
• In large bowl, mix both pouches cornbread mix, eggs and milk. Stir in reserved bacon, chiles, cheese and green onion whites.
• Gently pour batter over pepper rings. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of cornbread comes out clean.
• Run knife around edge of cornbread. Let cornbread cool 10 minutes.
• Place plate over skillet, and carefully flip over. Remove skillet. Cut into 8 wedges. Top with green onion greens.

WARM APPLE-CORNMEAL UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides; line pan with 10-inch-diameter parchment paper round (parchment will come 1/2 inch up sides of pan). Butter parchment. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add apple wedges and gently shake skillet to distribute caramel evenly. Cover and cook until apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until apples are tender and caramel thickens and coats apples, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes. Transfer apples and caramel syrup to prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Place cornmeal in large bowl; pour 1/2 cup boiling water over and stir to blend. Add 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar to cornmeal mixture. Using electric mixer, beat until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk in 2 additions each. Pour batter over apples in pan.
• Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small knife between cake and pan sides to loosen cake. Carefully invert cake onto ovenproof or microwavable platter and peel off parchment. Cool 15 minutes. (Cake can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Rewarm in 350°F oven about 10 minutes or microwave on medium just until slightly warm, about 2 minutes.)
• Cut cake into wedges, place on plates, and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

UPSIDE-DOWN CHEESY ONION CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cut onion into 5 (1/2-inch thick) rings; keep rings intact.
• In 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Gently place onion slices close together in the butter. If last ring looks too large to fit in skillet, remove outside rings until small enough to fit. Sprinkle with salt, and cook 3 to 4 minutes without moving, until onions soften but don't fall apart. Remove from heat. With large, flat spatula, gently turn onions, keeping rings together as much as possible.
• In large bowl, mix both pouches cornbread mix, eggs and milk. Stir in cheeses and herbs.
• Pour batter over onions. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of cornbread comes out clean.
• Run knife around edge of cornbread. Let cornbread cool 10 minutes.
• Place a plate over skillet, and carefully flip over. Remove skillet. Cut into 8 wedges.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• In a microwave-proof dish, bring the milk to a boil. Remove the milk from the microwave and add the cornmeal. Stir and let soak at room temperature for 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place 1 slice of pineapple in the center of the pan. Place the other 5 slices around the center slice in a circle. Place the cherries in the centers of the pineapple slices and sprinkle the nuts evenly over the fruit. Drizzle pineapple juice over top.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the sugar to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the canola oil and whisk. Add the cornmeal and milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add this to the flour and stir just until combined. Pour the batter over the fruit in the skillet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes in the skillet. Set a platter on top of the skillet and carefully invert the cake. Serve.

SAUSAGE UPSIDE-DOWN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Brown sausage, onion, and green pepper in a large skillet until sausage is brown and crumbly.
• Stir in the flour, then add the next four ingredients.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in cheese cubes and olives.
• Pour mixture into a 9" square pan.
• Prepare cornbread mix with eggs and milk, or according to package directions.
• Spread cornbread batter over sausage mixture.
• Bake 30-35 minutes.
• Let stand in pan for 5 minutes, then loosen edges with a spatula.
• Invert onto a plate or platter.
• Serve warm.

CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In 10-inch ovenproof, nonstick skillet, combine cranberries, raspberry spread, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently, 7 minutes or until berries have popped and sauce is thick.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar. In measuring cup, combine buttermilk, oil, and egg. Make well in center of dry ingredients, pour in buttermilk mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour cornmeal mixture over cranberries. Bake 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then invert onto plate, scraping any berry mixture that sticks to the pan on top of cornbread. Serve warm or at room temperature.