Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread

     Adapted from a recipe I found on the Jiffy company's website, this one bowl cornbread is a fun and filling way to usher in the New Year.  Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is a Southern tradition that dates back to the Civil War, insuring prosperity and good luck in the upcoming year.  In my 12 inch dutch oven the cornbread baked for a total of 50 minutes with 12 coals around the base of the oven, 18 in a ring around the outside of the lid and 8 coals spaced evenly in the middle.  I omitted the jalapenos but I'm sure they would give it a real kick.  Somewhat like a spoon bread, the creamy peas, melted cheese and creamed corn make this a very moist cornbread.  Serve it with a tossed salad for a light dinner or New Year's Day brunch.  Happy New Year!

Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread
2 8.5 oz packages 'Jiffy' Corn Muffin Mix
1 lb spicy pork sausage meat, cooked and crumbled
5-6 scallions, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 8 oz. package Cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained
3/4 cup cream style corn
1 4.5 oz can green chilies, chopped
1/4 cup canned pickled jalapeños, chopped and drained

     Lightly oil or spray 12 inch dutch oven.
     In large bowl beat eggs, buttermilk and oil.
     Add muffin mix, stirring until mixture is just moistened.
     Batter will be lumpy.
     Stir in sausage, scallions, cheese, black-eyed peas, corn, chilies and jalapenos.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until lightly browned.
     Cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.
     Makes 8-10 servings.

Spread batter into well oiled 12 inch dutch oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes

A 'lucky' cornbread chock full of flavor

Golden Sweet Cornbread

      This cornbread recipe from Del Monte caught my eye because it requires no measuring and can easily be whipped together at your campsite.  Brimming with corn and a little on the sweet side, in my 10 inch dutch oven it baked for a total of 30 minutes with 10 coals around the base of the oven, 14 around the outside of the lid with 4 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  It's very moist so be sure to test the center before taking it off the coals.  For convenience, this one can't be beat.

Golden Sweet Cornbread
2 packages (8.5 oz each) corn muffin mix (Jiffy size)
2 eggs
1 14.75 oz can no salt added cream style corn
1 15.25 oz can no salt added whole kernel corn, well drained

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Stir together all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; batter will be slightly lumpy.
     Pour batter evenly into prepared oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool 10 minutes before serving.

     Variations:
     For FIESTA CORNBREAD, stir 1 4 oz can diced jalapenos, drained and 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese into batter before baking.
     For BACON AND ONION CORNBREAD, stir 1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon and 1/4 cup sliced green onions into batter before baking.
     For BLUEBERRY CORNBREAD, gently stir 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries into batter before baking.

Pour batter into well oiled 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or
until tester comes out clean

Leave the measuring cups at home when you make
this moist and tasty cornbread

Cornbread Chili Casserole

     From Wolf Brand Chili, as this hearty casserole cooks, the chili and cheese sink down and bake right into the cornbread.  A very easy recipe and good for camping, just be sure to oil your dutch oven well so you'll have a nice crispy crust on your cornbread.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, the casserole baked for a total of 40 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the base of the oven, 14 briquettes around the edge of the lid with 6 spaced evenly in the center.  This is bound to become a campfire classic, serve it while it's hot and garnish with your favorite chili toppings.

Cornbread Chili Casserole
1 2.5 oz package corn muffin mix (Jiffy brand)
2 eggs
1 11 oz can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained (Mexicorn)
1/2 cup regular OR reduced-fat sour cream
2 Tblsp sugar
1 15 oz can Beef with Beans Chili
1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     In large bowl, combine corn muffin mix, eggs, corn with peppers, sour cream and sugar.
     Spread batter in bottom of prepared dutch oven.
     Spoon chili evenly over top of batter, up to 1/2 inch of sides of dutch oven.
     Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
     Top with remaining half cup of cheese.
     Bake for 10-15 minutes more or until bubbly and edges are brown.
     Makes 4-6 servings.

Leave 1/2 inch between chili and sides of dutch oven

Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes before adding
remaining 1/2 cup of cheese

Bake for 15-20 minutes more or until bubbling in the center
and brown around the edges

Cornbread and chili conveniently bake together
in one very tasty casserole

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

     As you probably know by now, there's nothing I like better than a dropped scone or biscuit baked in my 10 inch dutch oven.  The texture just can't be duplicated on a cookie sheet in my kitchen stove, they rise higher and are much lighter plus they have that nice, crispy, cast iron crust.  This recipe from a Sept. 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine makes a wet and cheesy batter, perfect for plopping into your dutch oven.  A cross between a biscuit and a cornbread, you get all the moistness and flavor of both.  You need to pile as many coals as will possibly fit on the lid of your oven to get the heat quickly up to 450 degrees.  With the lid covered with coals and 10 in a ring around the bottom they were golden brown and ready in 18 minutes.  The cornmeal gives them a little texture, cheesy but light, serve them with butter and hot pepper jelly and watch them fly out of your dutch oven.

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal (preferably stone-ground; not coarse)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 oz (scant 2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 Tblsp grated Parmesan cheese
3 scallions OR 2 Tbslp fresh chives, finely chopped
1 1/3 cups well-shaken buttermilk

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     In large bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
     Blend in butter with your fingertips or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
     Stir in cheeses and scallions.
     Add buttermilk and stir until just combined.
     Drop dough in 8-10 equal mounds in prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
     Cool in oven for 10 minutes before serving.

Drop biscuit batter into well oiled oven

Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes

Our guest of honor came running for the cornmeal

Try this corn bread biscuit with your next pot of chili

Skillet Corn Bread with Red Bell Pepper

 

      I found this corn bread recipe from a July 2002 issue of Bon Appetit to accompany the pot of Bloody Mary Chili I recently made.  Not overly sweet, with a touch of heat from the hot pepper sauce and a topping of roasted red pepper and scallions, it's pretty to look at and very tasty as well.  Be sure to oil your dutch oven with shortening to help give it a crispy, golden crust.  In my 10 inch oven it baked for exactly 25 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 22 on the lid.  The winds were gusting quite strong today, as a reminder, your coals will burn faster on windy days so it's a good idea to rotate your lid every 10 minutes or so to help them burn more evenly.  This is a perfect corn bread for mopping up the spicy juices of your favorite chili.

Skillet Corn Bread with Red Bell Pepper
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, cut in 1/3 inch wide strips
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 Tblsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned creamed corn
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 green onions, sliced

     Generously coat 10 inch dutch oven with vegetable shortening.
     Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend.
     Whisk buttermilk, creamed corn, melted butter, egg and hot pepper sauce in medium bowl to blend.
     Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
     Transfer batter to prepared dutch oven.
     Arrange bell pepper strips in spoke pattern atop batter.
     Sprinkle with sliced green onions.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.
     Cool in dutch oven for 15 minutes.
     Serve warm from dutch oven.

Arrange red pepper strips on corn bread batter then sprinkle
with green onions

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees

A dressed up corn bread with a little heat

Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake

      We can thank Marsha Gardner from Florala, AL for posting this wonderful Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake recipe online.  She makes it in a cast iron skillet but it is perfectly adaptable to dutch oven cooking.  In my 10 inch oven, it baked for 28 minutes with 10 coals around the base of the oven, 14 briquettes in a ring around the outside of the lid and 6 spaced evenly in the center.  I used a 15 ounce package of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread and added a sprinkling of brown sugar to the melted butter.  Serve it hot out of the oven with maple syrup or even a drizzling of honey, warm cornbread topped with sweetened pineapple and Canadian bacon is a combination that just can't be missed.

Canadian Bacon Upside Down Cake
12 slices Canadian bacon
4 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 20 oz. can pineapple rings, drained
1 15 oz. package cornbread mix
Ingredients for preparing cornbread as listed on package
Maple syrup

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven; line with parchment paper.
     Pour melted butter in prepared oven, swirl to cover bottom of oven completely.
     Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
     Arrange pineapple rings over brown sugar and butter.
     Layer Canadian bacon slices over pineapple rings, overlapping if necessary.
     Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions.
     Spoon batter over bacon and pineapple.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown and tester comes out clean.
     Let sit for 10 minutes before lifting out and inverting onto plate.
     Serve warm with maple syrup, makes 6 servings.

Overlap slices of Canadian bacon on top of pineapple layer

Cover with cornbread batter

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before lifting out and
inverting onto plate

Best served warm, doused with maple syrup

Bacon Cheddar Corn Pudding

      If you're looking for a nice side dish to bring to your next dutch oven gathering or Thanksgiving dinner, this spoon bread/corn casserole from Kraft is easy and very filling.  In my 10 inch dutch oven, it baked with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom of the oven, 14 placed around the edge of the lid and 6 briquettes spaced evenly in the center.  After 35 minutes, or when the middle was firm to the touch, I sprinkled on the topping and let it bake for 10 minutes more. It has all the elements of a great campfire recipe, can be mixed in one bowl, is easy enough for the beginning dutch oven cook to master and best of all, it's smothered in cheese and bacon.  

Bacon Cheddar Corn Pudding
2 eggs, beaten
1 15 oz can cream-style corn
1 11 oz can corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1 8.5 oz package corn muffin mix (Jiffy sized)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 8 oz. package shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
4 green onions, sliced
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     Mix first 5 ingredients until well blended; stir in 1/2 cup cheese.
     Pour into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until center is firm to the touch.
     Meanwhile, combine remaining cheese, onions and bacon.
     Top casserole with cheese mixture, bake 10 minutes more or until lightly browned.
     Makes 8-10 servings as a side dish.

Pour batter into prepared 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until firm
to the touch in center

Top with bacon, Cheddar, scallion mixture and bake for
10 minutes more or until melted and lightly brown

An easy spoon bread pudding for your next dutch oven gathering 

Chicken-Chile Enchilada Pie

     I woke up this morning, looked at my 8 inch dutch oven and thought, 'Today's the day I'm going to dust you off and put you to good use'.  There is something so endearing about that little pot, it's light and easy to clean, uses fewer coals and like The Little Engine That Could, it packs a powerful punch for it's size.  There are many of us who are cooking for small families and I will try to post more recipes geared for our tiny ovens. 
     Since I already had a picked over rotisserie chicken in the fridge and most of the fixings, this recipe for Chicken-Chile Enchilada Pie caught my eye.  I simplified it even more by using a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix.  In my 8 inch wonder, it baked for 25 minutes with 8 coals in a ring around the bottom and 12 on the lid.  Before you top it with cheese, test the corn bread to make sure it's done in the center.  Once you add the cheese, give it 3 to 5 more minutes to melt.  You can certainly make this in your 10 inch oven, the sweet corn bread is a good contrast to the spicy chicken, a quick and easy meal beside the campfire or in your kitchen at home.

Chicken Chile Enchilada Pie
2-3 cups cooked, cubed or shredded chicken
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 8.5 oz. package corn muffin mix (Jiffy)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 11 oz. can Mexican corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

     Lightly oil or spray dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, combine chicken, chilies and enchilada sauce.
     Spread in bottom of 8 inch dutch oven.
     In separate bowl, combine corn bread mix, milk and egg until well blended.
     Stir in corn.
     Spoon over chicken mixture.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until tester in center of topping comes out clean.
     Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
     Bake for 3-5 more minutes or until cheese has melted.
     Makes 2-4 servings.

Spread chicken mixture in bottom of 8 inch oven

Spoon corn bread batter over chicken

Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees or until tests done in center

Top with cheese and bake for 3-5 more minutes

A warm and filling dinner for two

Orange Cornbread

      When I stepped out onto the deck this morning the scent of a warm spring rain lingered in the air.  Although it's technically still winter I instantly became infected with a serious case of spring fever.  The brilliant yellow batter for this Orange Cornbread from Central Market in Texas reminded me of a field of daffodils.  The subtle orange flavor is what sets this one apart from other recipes.  In my 10 inch dutch oven it baked for 25 minutes with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18-20 on top.  A very nice change from your average recipe and extremely moist, give this Texas orangy cornbread a try. 

Orange Cornbread
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 15 oz. can corn, drained OR 2 cups fresh or frozen corn

     Lightly oil or spray 10 inch dutch oven.
     In medium bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
     Add eggs and orange juice; mix just until combined.
     Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in separate bowl.
     Fold flour mixture into orange juice mixture; mix just until combined.
     Stir in canned or frozen corn.
     Pour batter into prepared dutch oven.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown and springs back when touched in the center.

Pour golden batter in well oiled 10 inch dutch oven

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until firm in center

Very moist, brimming with corn and scented with orange

Cornbread With Bacon Crust

      Seems like I'm on a bacon roll lately, this Cornbread with Bacon Crust from a Nov. 2009 issue of Bon Appetit not only makes enough to feed an army but is topped with crispy pieces of bacon.  If you have the patience, cook the bacon in your dutch oven otherwise use your cast iron skillet.  Coat your 12 inch dutch oven with the bacon drippings, pour in the batter and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon.  The cornbread was cooked through and golden in 30 minutes with 12 briquettes in a ring around the base of the oven and 28 on the lid.  Very moist, speckled with corn and brimming with bacon flavor, remember this recipe next time you're looking for something good to make for a crowd.

Cornbread with Bacon Crust
10 thick-cut bacon slices
1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tblsp light brown sugar
1 Tblsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
3 Tblsp honey
2 Tblsp unsalted butter, melted
2 cups frozen corn kernels (unthawed) OR 1 15 oz. can corn, drained

     Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until just crisp; drain on paper towels.
     Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings from skillet.  Crumble bacon into small pieces.
     Coat 12 inch dutch oven with bacon drippings.
     Whisk cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.
     Whisk milk, eggs, honey, and butter in medium bowl.
     Stir milk mixture into dry ingredients.
     Mix in corn.
     Pour batter into prepared dutch oven.
     Sprinkle bacon over batter.
     Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cornbread is golden and tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
     Cool at least 30 minutes.  Makes 12-16 servings.

Right before baking sprinkle bacon on thick batter

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through

This bacon crusted cornbread makes enough to feed a troop of hungry campers

Hot Pepper Jelly Cornbread

     This corn bread recipe from Stonewall Kitchen is a one bowl wonder, mix all the ingredients together, pour into your dutch oven and bake.  In 25 minutes you'll have a moist, golden, peppery corn bread.  I baked this in my 10 inch dutch oven with 10 coals in a ring around the bottom and 18-20 on the lid.  Not overly sweet, with enough heat to make it interesting, it's a Southern style corn bread with a kick. 

Hot Pepper Jelly Corn Bread
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 Tblsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Hot Pepper Jelly
1 7 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup sour cream

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     In a medium mixing bowl, add all of the above ingredients and stir well.
     Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
     Serve warm.

A light, fluffy batter....

bakes into a moist, peppery corn bread