Cornbread

I make cornmeal muffins instead of cornbread like the original recipe. I think the browned sides are the best part so I just oil the sides of a muffin tin and bake the muffins. I also now make these with whole wheat pastry flour and whole grain cornmeal. For those of you who don't know, because I didn't, most cornmeal is not whole grain, but "enriched". Enriched means they take all the healthy stuff out and then "enrich" it with a fraction of the vitamins. Hodgkin's mills makes whole grain corn meal and they sell it at Walmart, so I'm sure most places carry it. Honestly, the corn muffins are better with white flour. But, they can be pretend healthy with whole wheat flour and they are still really good. Plus, you get some veggies and a nice corny taste with the addition of actual corn. The muffins in the picture are whole wheat corn muffins. This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

CORNBREAD

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ c (7 ½ oz) flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour)

1 c cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 c (1 3/4 oz) dark brown sugar

3/4 c (3 ½ oz) frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 c buttermilk

2 large eggs

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly ( I use 1/4 c butter and 1/4 c oil to cut down on saturated fat.)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking dish (I use sprayed muffin tins) with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.

2. In a food processor or blender, process brown sugar, corn kernels, buttermilk, butter, and oil (if using) until combined, about 5 seconds. Add eggs and process until well combined ( corn lumps will remain), about 5 seconds longer.

3. Using a rubber spatula, make a well in center of dry ingredients; pour wet ingredients into well. Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to combine. Pour batter into prepared 9x9 (or whatever the square dishes measure) baking dish; smooth surface with a rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25-35 minutes. (25 minutes for corn muffins) Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto a wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into pieces and serve.