Good Ole' Corn Bread

I love corn bread.

I've always loved corn bread.

When I was a kid my mom use to buy those little boxes of Jiffy Corn Bread mix and we often had corn bread muffins. Good stuff I tell ya.

Did you know that making it from scratch is almost as easy as making it from the box? And it tastes so much better. I still have a soft spot for Jiffy....you can't forget your first love now can you?

This recipe is basic. Simple. Easy. It's not too rustic and not too sweet. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with rustic or sweet. I love them both. I even love spicy corn bread. I actually have a really good recipe for Jalapeno and Cheese Corn Bread. But I thought I'd share with you my basic, go-to corn bread recipe. It just goes with so much. Fried chicken, beef stew, pork chops, ribs...it's pure yum.

Where did I get the recipe? I wish I could say it was a family recipe handed down over the generations. I wish I could say I'm so brilliant in the kitchen that I just developed it over the years.

Nope

I got it from the side of the Albers Corn Meal bag. Years and years ago. I don't know if they still use the same recipe on there anymore. They may have changed it to the ever so popular "sweet corn bread". Which is really good too. But sometimes I just want corn bread. Plain and simple.

I'm sure there are plenty of you out there who have your favorite corn bread recipes. But there are plenty out there who are looking for a recipe to call "theirs". And plenty who are just looking for a basic recipe cuz you've never made it before and maybe they want one that tastes like the one grandma use to make. Which ever category you fall under, I hope you find this helpful or at least enjoyable.

1 cup corn meal (yellow or white...it makes no difference)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

1 egg

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400' F

Combine your dry ingredients in a good sized bowl and mix well. I find that a whisk works well. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients....oil, egg and milk, and beat slightly with a whisk or fork until the egg has incorporated with the oil and milk....

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Don't over stir. Don't beat.

Now here is where I stray from the "directions". (remember that old commercial? "stay within the lines." and then a girl who's driving some kind of car jerks the car to the right and goes off-roading? Ya, well, thats not me...I just wish it were)

I use my 10" cast iron skillet. I heat it up with some oil till it's good and hot....spread the oil around and up the sides.

If you don't have a cast iron skillet, no worries....just butter or oil up an 8" square pan. Just don't heat it up first.

Pour your batter into whatever cooking vessel you choose and place into the hot oven

In my skillet, I let the bread cook for about 30 minutes. In an 8" square pan, cook for about 25 minutes or until done. Which means....when it's nice and golden brown

This was part of my wonderful New Years Day dinner which included Oven Fried Chicken (post still to come), black-eyed peas (sorry, no post), Creamed Corn (post still to come) and Fried Okra

What's your favorite corn bread recipe? If you have one and it's posted somewhere on the big ole world wide web....leave me a link in the comments section. I'd love to check it out.