Deb's Cornbread

A Southern dining experience is not complete without bread, and Cornbread is basically a "habit" for the southern dining experience.

Cornbread compliments Chili Beans, Soups, Bisques, Gumbo, Collards and Turnip Greens, Pinto Beans, Red Beans and Rice, Hoppin John, and the list can go on and on.
The following is my basic cornbread recipe, yet the options and variations are immense and your imagination and creativeness has no limits with this basic recipe.

Again, I caution you about utensils. The "Tried in the Fire" black Skillet, which comes in all shapes and sizes, as well as other Cast Iron cookware is the best way to accomplish the best results. I cannot emphasize this enough! There is something about Cast Iron Cookware and it's effect on particular foods, that cannot be improvised with Aluminum, Stainless Steel and Teflon.

Basic Cornbread

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
[Beforehand: Pour about 1 inch of oil in the skillet and slip into the oven to heat]

2 cups cornmeal
2 tbs sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk

Combine all ingredients into mixing bowl and stir thoroughly! As you stir, the consistency should be more loose than cake batter as the mixture will be poured into the skillet, so you may have to adjust as you stir, adding more liquid. Remove skillet from oven using caution and pour hot oil into cornbread mixture and blend well. After blending, pour the mixture into the skillet and return to the oven until the top is golden brown!

Variations:

Add sauteed onions and red and green peppers to mixture to compliment Gumbo, Jambalaya and throw in a few Jalapena's, Habanera's and serve with Chili Beans, Tex Mex Dishes!

Add one can of cream styled corn, 1 cup of sour cream for a variation. For an additional twist to this, add one can of "Spam" cut into slices and lay into mixture prior to placing in oven

Add cubes of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Pepper Jack to mixture for Cheezy Cornbread!

If you want to morph into the "Southern-Mode", add pork Cracklings to the mixture. You may want to adjust the amount of oil you add, because cracklings tend to produce oil when heated, I'm sure you know what cracklings are, and PLEASE do not confuse Cracklings with those disgusting Chitterlings!

So you see, the possibilities are endless with this basic cornbread foundation....actually it's really great without any modifications.