Keri's Cornbread
(1st place, OK State Fair in Tulsa, 2002)
1 1/2 cups plain cornmeal (not cornmeal mix or self-rising)
1/2 cup flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder, preferably Rumford
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (to 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cup milk (fat-free works fine)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (can cut to 1/4 cup if desired)
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400, placing pans in oven while it heats. I use 2 cast iron stick pans, 1 cast aluminum stick pan, and 1 non-stick scone pan, as seen in the picture at the link below.
Blend dry ingredients in large bowl. Blend milk, oil, and eggs, and add to dry ingredients. Blend till all is combined.
Remove hot pans from the oven one at a time, and slip a small amount of Crisco or bacon grease (say about 1/4 tsp or so) into each stick form, brushing it to cover all surfaces well. Place back in oven for a few minutes - you want these puppies HOT. Remove pan from oven, set on heat-proof surface, and, using a tablespoon from your silverware drawer, put a generous spoonful of batter into each form. You should have enough batter for 24 cornsticks and 8 thin crusty wedges.
Bake at 400 until golden brown on the tops, about 15 minutes for the sticks and about 20 minutes for the wedges. (If you prefer, bake the whole recipe in a 9-inch cast iron skillet for about 30 minutes and just cut into wedges to serve, or just use a 13x9 pan and cut into squares.) To remove from pans, gently ease the tines of a fork under the edges of the cornstick and carefully pry up. If you preheated your pan well and greased it right, it should pop right out. Serve with pinto beans and fried taters, BBQ, or just with a cold glass of sweet milk.
Pictures here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=iyt9005.53rmsl3l&x=0&y=4mgk00
(1st place, OK State Fair in Tulsa, 2002)
1 1/2 cups plain cornmeal (not cornmeal mix or self-rising)
1/2 cup flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder, preferably Rumford
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (to 1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cup milk (fat-free works fine)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (can cut to 1/4 cup if desired)
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 400, placing pans in oven while it heats. I use 2 cast iron stick pans, 1 cast aluminum stick pan, and 1 non-stick scone pan, as seen in the picture at the link below.
Blend dry ingredients in large bowl. Blend milk, oil, and eggs, and add to dry ingredients. Blend till all is combined.
Remove hot pans from the oven one at a time, and slip a small amount of Crisco or bacon grease (say about 1/4 tsp or so) into each stick form, brushing it to cover all surfaces well. Place back in oven for a few minutes - you want these puppies HOT. Remove pan from oven, set on heat-proof surface, and, using a tablespoon from your silverware drawer, put a generous spoonful of batter into each form. You should have enough batter for 24 cornsticks and 8 thin crusty wedges.
Bake at 400 until golden brown on the tops, about 15 minutes for the sticks and about 20 minutes for the wedges. (If you prefer, bake the whole recipe in a 9-inch cast iron skillet for about 30 minutes and just cut into wedges to serve, or just use a 13x9 pan and cut into squares.) To remove from pans, gently ease the tines of a fork under the edges of the cornstick and carefully pry up. If you preheated your pan well and greased it right, it should pop right out. Serve with pinto beans and fried taters, BBQ, or just with a cold glass of sweet milk.
Pictures here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=iyt9005.53rmsl3l&x=0&y=4mgk00