Cornbread!!!

It's for Taco Soup, and it's made with Hidden Valley dry ranch dressing mix

I specified *dry.* HAHAHAHAH!!!

Well, that's on me, then. I know ignorance is no excuse for bad food, but never having viewed the product in question I thought it might be a characteristic descriptor - you know, like brut or sec - or dry.

(You know my college minor was equivocation - all those essay tests).

You're weenieing. Or however you spell it.

It's for Taco Soup, and it's made with Hidden Valley dry ranch dressing mix

I specified *dry.* HAHAHAHAH!!!

Well, that's on me, then. I know ignorance is no excuse for bad food, but never having viewed the product in question I thought it might be a characteristic descriptor - you know, like brut or sec - or dry.

(You know my college minor was equivocation - all those essay tests).

You're weenieing. Or however you spell it.

Yeah, so?

DRY!!! I specified DRY MIX. I win!! (As usual!)

[Jenise]

Head to head on this one any day, Babe. You pick the time, place and judges. I'll tie one hand behind me, too. Literally.

Great! Then Karen picks me as a judge.

(Karen, it's in the bag!)

ROFL, Jenise! But just remember, you don't have to throw anything: mine's the best! I've made his red beans and rice. It's good, but ...

[Robin Garr]

Head to head on this one any day, Babe. You pick the time, place and judges. I'll tie one hand behind me, too. Literally.

Great! Then Karen picks me as a judge.

And me.

Head to head on this one any day, Babe. You pick the time, place and judges. I'll tie one hand behind me, too. Literally.

Great! Then Karen picks me as a judge.

And me.

Enjoy your menage. I'm off to other venues. Permanently.

Enjoy your menage. I'm off to other venues. Permanently.

HA! You know what the ubiquitous "they" say: if you can't stand the heat ...

[Jenise]

Enjoy your menage. I'm off to other venues. Permanently.

Aw come on, Chef; we're just funnin' you!

Maybe we should call this forum, "Heck's Kitchen."

Jo Ann, I don't understand what you mean by calling someone out of their name. I make competition chili and I make family chili. There's a diff. And the Taco Soup is just for Joseph!

There is always a difference when you are the one making it!

Jo Ann, what's that tiny little (n) about? I'd like to think there's a good explanation for it that isn't insulting to anyone I care about.

I noticed something a little too close for comfort and called it out! Who could possibly be insulted?!

Really, this whole thread has me a bit confused. Seems like it ought to amount to nothing more than the cornbread purists vs. those who like theirs a bit sweeter. Nothing wrong with either opinion, as far as I can tell. You can count me in as the kind of guy who really does like some sweetness in my cornbread, particularly if it's going to stand on its own. Without that, it seems to lack something. If it's going to be crumbled into chili or something's going to be put on top of it, then it doesn't need any sugar - the other stuff makes up for whatever it is I seem to find lacking. Corn and sweet generally play well together, though, so I don't see a problem with it.

But then what do I know - I'm from Arizona.

[David M. Bueker]

Can everyone please cool their heels a little. (Imagine that...Bueker asking folks to calm down).

[Robin Garr]

Can everyone please cool their heels a little. (Imagine that...Bueker asking folks to calm down).

Works for me! Karen is flying overseas for a couple of days and probably won't have time to check in, but I've got her friend Debbie's Southern cornbread recipe and her father's Mexican cornbread recipe and will post them after I've had my coffee. Maybe we can get this thread back to FOOD. And, of course, one's inalienable right to put sugar in cornbread and beans in chili. Cinnamon, too.

[Jenise]

But then what do I know - I'm from Arizona.

This Californian has the same problem. First and only cornbread of my childhood was from a Jiffy mix, and the second and much more likable was the sweet cakelike cornbread at Marie Callendars which I liked a lot. Sure was strange first time I put that dense, salty version of what my husband considers true southern cornbread in my mouth!

[Robin Garr]

I got this ages ago from Karen Ellis, who passes it on from her flight-attendant pal Debbie Voss, who is from Mississippi and makes this very traditional Southern version. Please note the complete absence of any form of sugar. It's good, though.

Corn bread
(makes eight servings)

2 cups White Lily self-rising cornmeal mix
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat a greased (bacon grease) 8 or 10 inch black iron skillet in 425F oven or grease an 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking pan

Blend all ingredients, stirring just until moistened. (batter should be lumpy)

Pour batter into preheated skillet or pan

Bake 25 to 30 minutes for 8-inch black iron skillet or 20 to 25 minutes for 10-inch black iron skillet or 25 to 30 minutes for 8 x 8 2 inch pan.

Remove from pan and serve

[Robin Garr]

This is an old family recipe from Karen Ellis, for whom it's comfort foot remembered from her father, Frank Ellis. Karen, who gave me this recipe a long time ago, says this version comes from her sister, Suzie, but Karen thinks the correct version should have a little bacon grease or vegetable oil added to the batter. Either way, it looks like wonderful cornbread to me, even if it has no sugar in it. NO SUGAR IN CORNBREAD!

Frank Ellis's Mexican cornbread

1 cup self-rising corn meal
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 egg
1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
1 small can whole kernel corn (drained)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
Sliced jalapeños (to your liking - also see note below)
1 small jar pimentos (drained)
2 slices bacon

Fry bacon in a well seasoned black iron skillet, reserving bacon grease in the pan.

Mix all ingredients together and crumble in the bacon.

Pour mix on hot bacon grease in the skillet, then bake 25 to 30 minutes at 400F or until golden brown.

Karen's note: "I have substituted green olives for the jalapeños for those in the family who don't like hot stuff; or done half and half, putting toothpicks to mark the dividing line. Daddy used to put pepper rings in his instead of jalapeños."

First and only cornbread of my childhood was from a Jiffy mix, and the second and much more likable was the sweet cakelike cornbread at Marie Callendars which I liked a lot.

A pox on your house!

Can everyone please cool their heels a little. (Imagine that...Bueker asking folks to calm down).

Works for me! ...Maybe we can get this thread back to FOOD. And, of course, one's inalienable right to put sugar in cornbread and beans in chili. Cinnamon, too.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!
I think we would not digress if people would stop trying to tell other people what to put into their mouths and then offering an opinion about whether their version of a dish is true, authentic, traditional or real! Cooking is nothing more than edible alchemy. Heaven forbid that we should stop experimenting, creating, and refashioning tried and true recipes. We would never learn from the free spirit of a Jenise, or come to appreciate the the depth of molecular gastronomy (yuk!). The minute you tell someone what is or isn't real (based on your limited world view), you are hankering for an arugment. And, there always those who are willing to give you one -- present company excepted!

First and only cornbread of my childhood was from a Jiffy mix, and the second and much more likable was the sweet cakelike cornbread at Marie Callendars which I liked a lot.

A pox on your house!

You're too late there, Jo Ann. The pox came down on her kitchen some time ago.

My beloved Grandma had this little aluminum container with a perforated, recessed lid, that she kept by the stove for bacon drippings. The perforated lid strained most of the solids out, as it was designed to do. Anyway, when she made cornbread, she would pour some of the bacon grease in the cast iron skillet and swirl it to coat the surface, then pop it into the oven to get hot. When she mixed the cornbread batter, she used White Lily cornbread mix (with the leavening already in it), buttermilk, and a little more bacon grease. That went into the hot skillet, and the whole thing went into the oven.

Sometimes she added cracklins, but I never liked that version much, and my vegetarian Mom would never eat Grandma's cornbread because of the bacon grease.

My beloved Grandma had this little aluminum container with a perforated, recessed lid, that she kept by the stove for bacon drippings. The perforated lid strained most of the solids out, as it was designed to do. Anyway, when she made cornbread, she would pour some of the bacon grease in the cast iron skillet and swirl it to coat the surface, then pop it into the oven to get hot. When she mixed the cornbread batter, she used White Lily cornbread mix (with the leavening already in it), buttermilk, and a little more bacon grease. That went into the hot skillet, and the whole thing went into the oven.

Sometimes she added cracklins, but I never liked that version much, and my vegetarian Mom would never eat Grandma's cornbread because of the bacon grease.

Most mama's who cooked when I was growing up had a coffee can with bacon drippings in it - on or near the stove.

[Jenise]

You're too late there, Jo Ann. The pox came down on her kitchen some time ago.

You don't know the half of it. I haven't had the heart to post an update, it's so bad.

Jo Ann, this is the FIRST pox you've put on my house, isn't it?

But I should add that I got over the sweet and cakey style and have now accepted Bob's favorite texture as good. I don't like it Marie-Callendar's sweet, but I do appreciate the balance that just a little sugar brings.