Simple Cornbread Recipe

Whenever I am making a pot of chili, or cooking up a batch of pintos or blackeyed peas, I like to have some piping-hot cornbread to set next to it. I don't want anything funky or fancy, I don't want it sugared-down or spiced-up; I just want some damn cornbread.

This recipe is is exactly that: a simple, delicious cornbread that will go perfectly with your favorite stew, chili, or steak.

Trav's Homemade Cornbread

1 T. corn oil
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 T. sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1/4 c melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
Milk

Preaheat oven to 425 degrees. Add the corn oil to a cast iron skillet, and put the skillet into the oven to warm while you mix the batter.

Sift all the dry ingredients together, then stir in the eggs, butter, and milk, using enough milk to make a thin batter (it should be slightly thicker than cake batter...think "cold gravy.")

Remove the skillet from the oven, and immediately pour in the batter. Return to the oven, and bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is dark brown and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Slice and serve.

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Not that there is anything wrong with funky cornbread, mind you.

For sweet cornbread and corn muffins, increase the sugar to about 1/2 cup...more or less to taste.

For spicy cornbread, add a teaspoon of chili powder and a small can of chopped green chilis. Use mild chilis for mild bread, hot for hot bread, etc.

For cheesy cornbread, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. As delicious as it is, be advised: it will stick to the skillet like crazy when it cools...so it is best to slice and serve it while warm, right out of the pan.