Dad's Southern Cornbread

 For cornbread, Dad always made it “southern style”—baked in a cast iron dish, cut in squares with butter on top.   He almost always bought the Alber’s boxed brand (that blue and red box with the yellow letters).   A few times, he got adventurous and strayed, but 95% of the time he used the recipe on the back of the Alber’s box.   But he added his own twist—he would add a can of corn with the liquid drained for extra moisture and heartiness.  I think once he even tried cream style corn…   But he liked the texture of the whole kernel kind.    He preferred to use and electric mixer to blend the wet and dry ingredients together, because he thought it came out more even.   But it is easily done by hand too.  When it was done, he always spread some butter or margarine around over the top, to keep it moist and soft.  So here is the recipe with Dad’s little twists:

Dad’s Southern Corn Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Albers White or Yellow Corn Meal (or any kind you have)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn, liquid drained (or cream style corn)
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine (for spreading over the top after baking)

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 8-inch square baking pan.

2.       Combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine milk, oil and egg in small bowl; mix well. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until blended.  You can use an electric mixer to combine them, or do it by hand.  Pour into prepared pan.

3.       Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and spread the tablespoon of butter or margarine over the entire surface of the cornbread, so keep it soft and seal in the moisture.   Cut into squares.  Serve warm.

NOTE:  Use greased cast iron skillet, or a greased 13x9-inch baking pan; bake as above.  Recipe can be doubled. 

FOR MUFFINS:
 

Spoon batter into 10 to 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 15 minutes.