Cornbread is a great favorite around our house. We serve several different versions, as each one of us a favorite consistency and texture. While my husband like his more cake like – I prefer a coarser cornbread. Each person to their own, I say. So lets get some recipes going that will cover us all.


Buttermilk Cornbread
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients

1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375º F. Grease a cast iron skillet and place in oven while you prepare the cornbread.
Melt butter in pan or microwave bowl. Place on counter and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain.
Pour into the greased heated skillet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Basic Buttery Cornbread
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 2/3 cup milk
2 cup. all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup cornmeal
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º F.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Combine the eggs and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with egg mixture.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares; serve warm.



South of the Border Cornbread
Yields 12 servings

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers, drained
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 300º F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in cream corn, chiles, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to corn mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into center of the pan comes out clean.


Corndog Corn Muffins
Yields 12 to 18 muffins

Ingredients

1 recipe of your choice of cornbread
1 package hot dog s cut in bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400º F or 200º C. Lightly grease muffin tins.
Make cornbread as recipe directs. Combine the cheese into the batter then fold in the hot dog pieces and spoon mixture into muffin tins until 2/3 full. Bake 14 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.


Stir ins are always a great way to kick up cornbread. Your imagination is the limit, here are a few of my favorites -- ham bits, pepperoni, bacon, vegetables such as broccoli and corn as well as green onion and garlic. Cheeses are great stir ins and fruits such as blueberries and even raspberries are great .Nuts such as hazel nuts or pecans are always good too. Chilies make great stir ins, so do flavored oils. Have fun and experiment.