18 Jun 2020 ‘Welcome to summer’ treat

Posted at 8:13 PMh in Food & Home Entertaining by

Who doesn’t like fresh-squeezed lemonade for a cooling, refreshing drink during the humid weeks of summer? There’s also the natural accompaniment to this timeless beverage – almost any cookie of your choice. My favorites are oatmeal chocolate chip, molasses cookies and orange coconut cookies!

I’d like to suggest to you another alternative that has become a favorite at our house. It was created by my wife, Nancy, and my thanks to her for giving me the recipe to share with you.

It’s BLUEBERRY CORNBREAD! It is amazing and a wonderful treat to keep in the freezer and toast for future days when you get that “slightly sweet but not dessert” taste we all crave!

Nancy likes to do this blueberry cornbread in a cast iron skillet. Most of us still have these in our cabinets. You may not be as extreme as the Binghams; we have an assortment of various shapes and sizes and they are used regularly!

501 LIFE has featured cornbread in past issues. Our love for cornbread is not retiring any time soon. I’ve included several variations of cornbread for your enjoyment, but the feature of this article is the delicious and delectable combination of fruit and cornbread, particularly blueberries. The price of blueberries fluctuates in the markets, but they are most generally available in one form or another.

Enjoy this wonderful treat for breakfast or a nighttime snack, or give it as a gift to a loved one!

Thanks, Nancy, for the recipe!

Fresh made lemonade and Blueberry Cornbread are a nice combination to enjoy during summer months. (Mike Kemp photos)

Blueberry Cornbread

Combine the dry ingredients:

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Then add:

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups blueberries (before adding, toss in 2 tablespoons flour to keep them from falling to the bottom of the cornbread during baking)

Heat an iron skillet in a 425 degree oven until hot. Remove from the oven and add 2 tablespoons oil.  Pour in cornbread mixture and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and done.

Best Homemade Lemonade

6 lemons, squeezed for juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 gallon water

Mix squeezed lemon juice with sugar until dissolved. Add water, mix well. Serve over ice.

Gluten-free Cornbread

1 1/2 cups gluten-free cornmeal

1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk

Combine all ingredients and bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees in an oiled iron skillet.

Cornbread Hoe Cakes

1 egg

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

Vegetable oil

Mix ingredients. Fry in oil on one side until bubbly and crispy; turn over and brown on the other side.

Hot Water Cornbread

Mix:

1 cup cornmeal, preferably white

1 teaspoon salt

Gently pour in ¾ cup hot water. 

Add:

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon sugar

Form batter into patties. Add oil to a skillet and make sure it is hot. Fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  

Adding 1/4 cup grated onions to batter is a nice option.  

Don Bingham
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