Cornbread

[Kaycee]

Since I am not american, and from what I gather, cornbread is from that neck of the wooods. I have not done any cooking with cornmeal, as I have only discovered it. Nobody over here seems to know what to do with it, so I am asking for hints or ideas for its use, whether it be cornbread or whatever.

There is nothing like an intolerance to make people look at different and obscure food.

I have even discovered quinoa, and it is one of my new favourite foods.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Cathy

[AndreaB]

Cornbread Deluxe

Ingredients:

In a blender process until smooth:

1 cup milk or rice milk or soy milk or buttermilk or water

1 egg or 2 egg whites

1/4 cup oil (canola or safflower)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

In a separate bowl, mix these dry ingredients with a wire wisk:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup rice flour (brown or white or combination of both)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix gently but well for about one minute then pour into a 8" or 9" square baking pan that has been sprayed or oiled. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes. Serve warm, directly from the pan, or let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

For a savory meal:

Using a 9" x 12" pan (or close to it), spray or oil it, then put in:

1 large can diced tomatoes (28 oz)

1 can drained beans (like pinto, black bean, garbanzo, or whatever you like)

1 or 2 diced zucchini

Some other vegetable you like, corn, mushrooms, diced red or green bell peppers etc.

Sprinkle on chili powder or pizza flavorings like basil and oregano to your taste.

Then pour cornbread mix right on top and bake 25 to 30 minutes at 400F.

For a dessert cornbread:

On the bottom of the pan, pour a can of fruit cocktail or sliced peaches or a can of pie filling. To The dry ingredients add: 1/4 cup sugar, then bake as above.

For a Gingerbread:

Add 1/4 cup molasse to the wet ingredients

To the dry ingredients add:

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon groung cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Optional: grated fresh ginger or finely chopped candied ginger, or both

To make it more cake-like, decrease the cornmeal to 1/2 cup, and increase the flour to 1 1/2 cups. Bake as the original recipe.

From the Big Book of Gluten Free Recipes

[queenofhearts]

What great ideas, Andrea! I'm from the southern US so cornbread is an old friend to me, but you've given me some new variations. Cornbread gingerbread, what a concept! I'll have to try that soon.

My recipe is quite similar to Andrea's first, but I always use buttermilk for the liquid, & in southern fashion, bake it in a cast iron skillet. I oil the skillet liberally (I use less oil in the bread itself, by the way) & put it in the preheating oven while making up the batter. I bake mine at 375, to make up for the initial direct heat. Be careful spooning in the batter, because it can spatter a bit, but it makes the most delectable "fried" crust while the interior is light & bready. My family is crazy about it. I also use a bit more leavening in mine, & half the sugar, but otherwise the proportions are the same.

The other southern cornmeal staple is fried anything, egged & coated in seasoned cornmeal. Fish is the classic. My mom makes the most wonderful fried okra. If you've never had it fried, it is COMPLETELY different from the sliminess of the stewed article. Of course it's not quite as good for you, & to tell the truth I don't do much fried food, but I love it when I eat it at Mom's! You slice the okra in 1/4" slices so they're very crusty but also juicy & yummy.

Enjoy your cornfest, Cathy!!

Leah

[russell]

Since I am not american, and from what I gather, cornbread is from that neck of the wooods. I have not done any cooking with cornmeal, as I have only discovered it. Nobody over here seems to know what to do with it, so I am asking for hints or ideas for its use, whether it be cornbread or whatever.

There is nothing like an intolerance to make people look at different and obscure food.

I have even discovered quinoa, and it is one of my new favourite foods.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Cathy

I live in Mississippi and have always eaten cornbread with most meals excpt breakfast.

after 65 years thinking I had loctose intolerance I found a doctor that figured it was wheat-celiac. However I still had problems and from this webpage found out that I was corn allergic. So be careful of the swap from wheat to corn. Also don't buy a corn bread mix(it has flour in it.)

[luvs2eat]

My cornbread recipe has never contained flour and it's straight from my friend's grandmother from Alabama!

Put a few tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet and put it in a 400º oven to preheat.

Mix 1 cup of cornmeal

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

Mix well and pour in HOT skillet (it'll sizzle a little so be careful)

Bake for about 20 minutes. Cut and ENJOY!!

I make this much in a small cast iron skillet. When I'm having a crowd for supper... I double the recipe, dump in a can of corn, and put it in my BIG cast iron skillet that's been preheated in the oven.

[indyceliac]

Polenta is a great way to use cornmeal and can be served in many different ways. Its basically cornmeal mush. When i was a child we would eat it instead of pasta...with sauce and parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!

You can also pour the leftovers into a baking dish let it harden , cut into slices and pan fry..and make another meal out of it the next day. If you do a search on the internet you'll find tons of recipes for polenta.

The process is straight forward. You'll need:

1 pound coarsley ground corn meal

2 quarts boiling water (have more handy)

A heaping teaspoon of salt

In heavy saucepan bring water and salt to boil.. When it comes to a boil, add the corn meal in a very slow stream (you don't want the pot to stop boiling), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep lumps from forming. Continue stirring, in the same direction, as the mush thickens, for about a half-hour (the longer you stir the better the polenta will be; the finished polenta should have the consistency of firm mashed potatoes), adding boiling water as necessary.

Since I am not american, and from what I gather, cornbread is from that neck of the wooods. I have not done any cooking with cornmeal, as I have only discovered it. Nobody over here seems to know what to do with it, so I am asking for hints or ideas for its use, whether it be cornbread or whatever.

There is nothing like an intolerance to make people look at different and obscure food.

I have even discovered quinoa, and it is one of my new favourite foods.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Cathy

[queenofhearts]

Polenta is a great way to use cornmeal and can be served in many different ways. Its basically cornmeal mush. When i was a child we would eat it instead of pasta...with sauce and parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!

You can also pour the leftovers into a baking dish let it harden , cut into slices and pan fry..and make another meal out of it the next day. If you do a search on the internet you'll find tons of recipes for polenta.

The process is straight forward. You'll need:

1 pound coarsley ground corn meal

2 quarts boiling water (have more handy)

A heaping teaspoon of salt

In heavy saucepan bring water and salt to boil.. When it comes to a boil, add the corn meal in a very slow stream (you don't want the pot to stop boiling), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep lumps from forming. Continue stirring, in the same direction, as the mush thickens, for about a half-hour (the longer you stir the better the polenta will be; the finished polenta should have the consistency of firm mashed potatoes), adding boiling water as necessary.

Mmmmm, yes, I love polenta, especially chilled & fried. My husband doesn't care for it, silly boy! But it's SOOO good, crispy on the outside, creamy inside, real comfort food. And it makes a great base for all kinds of sauces, ratatouille, shrimp marinara, cooked greens, roasted tomatoes... I could go on & on.

Thanks for the reminder!

Leah

[ebrbetty]

My cornbread recipe has never contained flour and it's straight from my friend's grandmother from Alabama!

Put a few tablespoons of oil in a cast iron skillet and put it in a 400º oven to preheat.

Mix 1 cup of cornmeal

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

Mix well and pour in HOT skillet (it'll sizzle a little so be careful)

Bake for about 20 minutes. Cut and ENJOY!!

I make this much in a small cast iron skillet. When I'm having a crowd for supper... I double the recipe, dump in a can of corn, and put it in my BIG cast iron skillet that's been preheated in the oven.

can this be made in a baking pan in the oven? i don't have a iron skillet

[chrissy]

i haven't read through this whole thread, so i hope this is not a repeat. we have just used our old corn bread recipe and replaced the flour with gluten-free flour and xanthan gum, but, we have used corn flour instead of courn meal recently and the kids really like it this way.

[luvs2eat]

I don't know, erbetty, if the corn bread can be made in a regular pan. I've only used a cast iron skillet. You owe it to yourself to get one... you can get one in Kmart for less than $10. It really MAKES the corn bread!!

[queenofhearts]

I don't know, erbetty, if the corn bread can be made in a regular pan. I've only used a cast iron skillet. You owe it to yourself to get one... you can get one in Kmart for less than $10. It really MAKES the corn bread!!

Any cornbread can be made in a regular pan, but the skillet is what makes it scrumptious. Cast iron's good for a lot of other things too, since it can go stove top to oven, very handy. And it lasts a lifetime if not longer!