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Skillet Cornbread Version Without Flour 1 c buttermilk 1 c stone ground yellow cornmeal 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 egg 1 T butter or drippings Version With Flour 1/4 c oil or drippings 1 c corn meal 1 c flour 1 T baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 c milk 1 egg From The Skillet Cornbread Thread: Version 1 (Without Flour) Preheat oven to 450°. Put some grease (oil, drippings or lard) in one 9 inch round iron skillet in the heating oven. Stir the cornmeal, salt and baking soda together. Add the egg and buttermilk and mix well. Remove skillet from the oven, add some of the melted oil/drippings and pour the batter into the skillet. Bake at 450° for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove when cornbread is brown. Version 2 (With Flour) Heat oil or drippings in a 8 or 9" skillet in a 425 oven. Combine dry igredients; add egg and milk and some of the grease from the hot pan. Pour batter into pan; bake 20-30 minutes. They are both great recipes, just that the addition of flour in the second one makes it quite different. My friend Sarah also says that some people add a bit of sugar to the batter. Keywords: Side, Snack, Vegetarian, Side, Intermediate, Bread, Breakfast, American ( RG226 )

Pigs in a Blanket Serves 32 as Hors d'oeuvre. Here's a link to the What's the worst thing that you eat?, Name your deep dark secret thread. Say whatever you want about Pigs in a Blanket, people do really love'm. We prefer using all beef kosher style franks and either the Cresent or Cornbread Pillsbury dough. 1 Package Hot Dogs 1 Can of Pillsbury dough Suggested Dipping Sauces Ketchup mixed with a little pickle relish Mustard mixed with honey Cut each frankfurter into 4-5 pieces, on the diagonal preferably. Open the can of Pillsbury dough, and spread it out on a flour dusted cutting board. Roll each triangle a little larger and cut into 3 pieces, wrapping each around a piece of hot dog. Place seam side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake according to biscuit directions (usually 350F for about 10 minutes), or freeze before baking for quick treats (bake from frozen state, just a couple minutes longer than from thawed state). Keywords: Amuse, Appetizer, Easy, Snack, American ( RG169 )

Skillet Cornbread with Bacon Serves 12 as Side. Here's a link to the Corn Bread, Baked in a skillet thread. Ingredient Notes: 1) Instead of buttermilk you can use 1-1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup plain Yogurt or Sour Cream) – I like to use sour cream and skim milk. 2) About the Sugar: use 1-3 Tbs, depending on how sweet, or not, you like your cornbread. 3) Optional ingredients: corn kernels, shredded cheese, chopped sautéed hot peppers, chopped cilantro 2 Slices Bacon 1 c Yellow Stone-ground Cornmeal 1 c All-Purpose Flour 3/4 tsp Baking Soda 2 tsp Baking Powder 1-1/2 tsp Salt 3/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper 2 T Sugar 1 Egg, lightly beaten 1-1/2 c Buttermilk (see note above for substitutions) Heat the oven to 350°F. Place cast iron skillet over low heat and slowly cook the bacon. Occasionally stir and slice the bacon (I use 2 knives) until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered, then place pan in the oven (leave the crumbled bacon & grease in the pan). While bacon is cooking, sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar and pepper. In a second bowl, combine the egg and milk. When the bacon is done and the skillet is in the oven, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with any optional additions (see notes), and stir to mix fairly well. Quickly open the oven and pour the batter into the skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Turn the cornbread out on a rack so it doesn't get soggy as it cools. Picture Credit and Bacon Notes: Thanks to eGullet member claire797 for the great picture. She pointed out that leaving the bacon in the skillet creates a "bacony crust." If you want the bacon mixed through the bread then remove & drain the bacon (leaving the grease in the skillet), crumble and mix into the batter before pouring it into the pan. Also, please note that the size of your skillet will affect how long the cornbread takes to bake. The pictured skillet is 8" in diameter and took 25 minutes to bake. I cook mine in a larger skillet, the bread is only about 1 1/2" in the center when done and takes about 18-20 mintues to bake. Keywords: Side, Intermediate, Snack, Dinner, Lunch, Pork, Bread, American, Barbeque ( RG163 )

Meemaw's Pork Mincemeat and a Christmas cake. This is a recipe for pork mincemeat - a very old recipe from my paternal great-grandmothr and grandmother via my dad's eldest sister, 101 years young as of 8/6/06. My aunt said that one of the "problems" of making this stuff was that if Meemaw (and now her) turns her back after the roasting, some of it would "disappear" and she would catch one of her sons tucking into a leftover biscuit with a bit too much gusto. This is a reduced size recipe. Meemaw made 8 quarts in a batch and usually made two or three batches. My aunt cut it down when she began making it 40 or 50 years ago. She hasn't made it for several years but our discussion has reminded her just how good it was and she is going to make a batch this week. She said her husband liked it layered in between layers of "Johnnycake" or sweetened cornbread. She would make 4 or 5 thin layers of sweetened cornbread, with buttered brown paper on the top during baking so it wouldn't form a crust. After putting the cake together with the mincemeat in between the layers, she would drizzle "raisin wine" on it. Which is simply sherry in which raisins (or other dried fruits) have been soaking for some time. She would then wrap it tightly in muslin with more of the liquid drizzled over it and then in "tin" foil. However she would store it in the ice box, usually hidden behind the vegetables to keep the boys out of it The mincemeat mixture is good in dressing or stuffing for fowl or pork. It is also good in fried pies or little tarts. I also seem to remember that Meemaw made a side dish with this mincemeat and chestnuts. Since I didn't spend as much time at their house as I did with my other grandparents, my memories are not as sharp. Ingredients: Pork Mincemeat 1 1/2 pounds (prepare at least a week ahead) See below for recipe. currants or sultanas 15 oz chopped pecans 2 cups vanilla 1 Tablespoon rum or brandy 1/4 cup (or a mixture of the two) butter melted 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups eggs, separated 3 extra large baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons water 1/4 cup cake or pastry flour 3 cups 1. Preheat oven to 275°. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan (can use bundt pan) 2. in a large bowl, combine mincemeat, currants or sultanas, nuts, vanilla and liquor - set aside 3. In a large mixer bowl, combine butter, sugar and egg yolks: beat well. Combine baking soda and water, add to mixture. 4. Sift flour over mincemeat mixture, stir to mix well. Combine contents of both bowls; mix well. (Batter will be stiff) 5. In small bowl of mixer, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. 6. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 275° for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until done. (Cake will pull away from sides of pan) 7. cool slightly, remove from pan. Cool completely and wrap to store. (Wrap in cheesecloth - *spritz with rum, brandy, flavored brandy or flavored liquor - then wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil) Place in cake tin. Cake keeps very well. * I keep a small spritzer bottle in the kitchen just for liquor - the alcohol will evaporate rapidly from cooked foods and will evaporate in about 3 days when used on baked goods like this cake - for people like me who have an allergy to alcohol. This method uses much less alcohol than pouring it on the cake and there is less chance of having soggy lumps saturated with liquor. There is a commercial rum and brandy mix that is usually only available during the holidays. With the addition of vanilla - about 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of the liquor, this gives a very nice flavor to this type of cake. Cherry Heering or Peter Heering the cherry liquer is also an excellent flavoring for fruit cakes. ------------------------------- MeeMaw's Pork Mincemeat 1 pound lean cooked pork cut into strips 1/3 pound pork fat cut into strips 1 pound dried apples cut into pieces 1 pound Sultanas or golden raisins 1 pound mixed peel 1/2 pound citron 1/2 pound dried pineapple 1/2 pound blanched almonds zest and juice of one large orange zest and juice of two lemons zest and juice of one grapefruit 1 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground 1 teaspoon allspice, freshly ground 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2/3 cup sweet sherry 1/2 cup brandy 1/2 cup rum Gather the first 8 ingredients on a tray or platter. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Using a food grinder with the coarsest blade, alternate ingredients as you put them through the grinder so they are combined in a Dutch oven or roasting pan large enough to hold everything. After grinding, mix well with your hands. Add the next 8 ingredients, cover tightly and cook for 2 hours. Remove from oven. Place a metal colander in a large pan, line with cheesecloth and spoon the mixture into the colander. Stir gently, turning the mixture over to drain away most of the liquid fat. Return the mixture to the cooking pot. Add the sherry, brandy and rum, stir well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for about 20 to 30 minutes. Ladle into sterilized jars, cover tightly and store in a cool place for one week prior to use. Once opened, store in refrigerator. ( RG1812 )

GRAMMAW'S BLACK-SKILLET CORNBREAD Serves 8. This is a dense, hearty bread, it will hold together when dipped in navy bean soup. This is nothing at all like the Marie Callenders type of cornbread which is too sweet and more like cake than bread. This sticks to your ribs. Note, there is NO sugar in this recipe. Ingredients: 2 cups stone-ground cornmeal, white or yellow 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons flour 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups buttermilk 2 tablespoons canola oil or corn oil (I prefer bacon drippings or melted lard, but I don't have to worry about cholesterol and I know a lot of folks won't use it) Preheat oven to 450. Grease skillet and place in oven to heat. (If using lard, melt it in the skillet) Combine all the dry ingredients and whisk to mix. Add eggs, buttermilk and oil. (If using lard, pour the melted lard into a metal cup to measure, make sure there is some still in the skillet). Mix just enough to be sure all the dry ingredients are moist and there are no dry lumps. Pour into hot, well-greased skillet, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Turn out onto wire rack if not serving immediately or onto a cutting board. Do not cut in the skillet! Cut into 8 wedges. serve hot with fresh butter. This also makes nice griddle cakes or waffles served with butter and maple syrup. For waffles, substitue flour for up to half of the cornmeal and add two tablespoons of sugar. YIELD: Makes 8 wedges SOURCE: Andie’s Grammaw Variations: you can add freshly-cut-off-the-cob sweet corn. You can add some green chiles or Jalapenos if you like spicy. You can add crumbled crisp bacon You can add some finely diced onion lightly toasted in the oven. You can add a bit of grated cheese. I grate it fairly fine and let it air dry for close to an hour so it doesn't melt away to nothing. ( RG1807 )

Andie's Original Pumpkin Chili Serves 20 as Main Dish. This is my pumpkin chili, I serve it in those large "latte" cups so folks can eat it while wearing gloves, when out in the cold. This is another original recipe developed over several years of "tinkering".... Pumpkin Chili Mexicana Serves 20 3 1/2 to 4 pound Mexican pumpkin, cheese pumpkin, Kabocha or similar squash. 2 pounds chopped beef or turkey (not finely ground) 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 3 - 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 cup diced mild sweet red pepper (Bell is OK, Pimento or ripe mild Anaheim are better) 1 cup diced mild green chiles, Anaheim, Big Jim or New Mexico 1/2 cup Jalapeños, diced 1 cup beef or chicken broth. 1 teaspoon freshly ground dried red chiles, Colorado, New Mexico, Ancho or your preference. 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground cumin (first toast the seeds in a dry iron skillet till they start to pop) 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Optional - - 1 or 2 Habanero or other very hot peppers, very finely minced. (you can omit these if you do not want a searingly hot chili) 2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, including liquid 2 large cans tomato paste (used to be 8 oz., however they keep changing the amounts) 2 14.5 ounce cans black beans or dark red kidney beans, drained (or equivalent) 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels Directions First, pierce the pumpkin or squash in several places with an ice pick or chef's fork and place it on a pan in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until a bamboo skewer will penetrate easily through the flesh. Meanwhile, while the pumpkin is baking, Sauté the beef or turkey in a large saucier As it is fairly well browned and is still giving off juices, add the onion and garlic and cook for about 4-5 minutes or so. Add the peppers (except for the Habanero) and continue cooking until they are tender. Add the beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the spices and continue simmering for 8 -10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. When cool enough to handle, split the pumpkin, remove the seeds and skin and chop into fairly small chunks and add to the meat mixture. Return to heat and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining ingredients, including the Habanero, and cook over medium low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often to keep from burning. Serve, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream and finely chopped scallions or green onions and freshly baked cornbread, or tortillas if you have them available. Also have finely shredded mild cheddar cheese, toasted pepitas, croutons and various crackers on side dishes for your guests to add as they wish ( RG1799 )

Eggplant Stew - with a Mexican twist Serves 4 as Sideor 2 as Main Dish. One day I had an excess of eggplant. I had at least the equivalent of one big one left over after putting together the eggplant gratin dish. Now what? I had all of the ingredients in the house to do something different. In the small heavy pot (2 ½ quart Le Creuset) I layered in chunks of eggplant, rough chopped onion, roasted peppers and seasonings. I know that eggplant isn’t necessarily an ingredient that reminds us of Mexican cuisine. But, what the heck. Actually, the final dish does not taste strongly of eggplant. The other flavors overwhelm it. I see it as a good way to use it up or maybe sneak eggplant into the diet of those that aren’t crazy about it. (Hmmm . . . I wonder if this would work with zucchini?) As is common with my recipes, this is a casual affair and the quantities and ingredients are flexible. Do what you like. For more eggplant discussion, please visit Eggplant in the Cooking forum. 1 large eggplant cut into about 1 inch chunks 1 medium white or yellow onion roughly chopped 1 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano 2 T dried cumin seeds 1 tsp garlic powder 1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and rough chopped 1 4 ounce can of chopped green chiles 1 c picante sauce, your favorite brand In a small Dutch oven or other heavy lidded pot, layer the eggplant and onion. Add the salt, oregano, cumin seeds and garlic powder, distributing evenly over the vegetables. Continue layering, adding red bell pepper the green chiles and picante sauce. Cover and cook in a 325 degree F oven for about 1 ½ hours. You will want to check after an hour. Eggplants will differ as to water content. If yours are high in water content, you might consider taking the lid off for the last half hour. The picture above is intentionally taken to show that there isn’t a lot of loose liquid running around. You want a concentration of flavors, not soup. Tips and Notes: Crush the dried oregano between your fingers while sprinkling. This releases more flavor. Using whole cumin seeds is a trick I learned from Huevos del Toro’s "Work in Progress Chili." In a long simmered dish they get really tender and offer a pleasant burst of cumin in the mouth. You can substitute ground cumin. For a quick and easy technique for roasting the bell pepper, cut it into strips so that it will lay flat, skin side up, on a baking sheet. Run under the broiler until the skin is charred. Then proceed to sweat and peel off the skins. Serving suggestions: Sprinkle with a fresh Mexican cheese and serve with cornbread or warm corn tortillas. Chorizo on the side is a good meat addition if you like. This would also be a good base to use up leftover pork or chicken. Alternate cooking methods: You can vary the temperature, usually lower, to vary the cooking time. This is handy for putting it in the oven and going shopping. This recipe would lend itself to a crock pot. I also intend to try this in a clay pot. Keywords: Main Dish, Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner, Tex-Mex ( RG1177 )

Aunt Ilea's Cornbread (Sweet) Serves 9. I like the Southern "sour" corn bread as well and have tried many recipes, but here is the one I always come back to, an unusual version using light cream instead of a fat and milk/buttermilk combination. It's from a great aunt, one of my paternal grandfather's seven sisters, who could have done a "Great Cooks" series all on their own. 1 c flour 2/3 c cornmeal 1/3 c sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 c light cream (half and half) 2 eggs Throw everything in a bowl, beat with a whisk until smooth and bake 25 minutes or so in a greased 8" or 9" square pan at 400 degrees, or until top browns. Keywords: Bread, Easy ( RG1145 )

Corny Bread Serves 6 as Side. I made this corn bread when I was in the middle of making the "Bacon Chipotle Cornbread" from here on RecipeGullet and discovered that I was out of cornmeal. Eeek! However, it turned out great and fantastically moist, like savory corn cake. 1 T butter, salted 1 10oz can of corn 5 chipotle peppers (canned) 1 egg 3 strips bacon, cooked 1 c flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1-1/4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 c buttermilk Preheat an 8" iron skillet in the oven at 350 degrees. Add the butter to the skillet and leave it in the oven. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Take the can of corn & its juice and blitz it in the blender with the buttermilk and egg. Add this to the dry ingredients and just barely combine. Then add the bacon and chipotle, and pour the whole thing into the skillet on top of the nicely browned butter. Check after 20 minutes, but mine took about 25. It will be extremely moist and cake-like, nothing like the corn bread you've made from those blue Jiffy boxes. The salted butter seems to produce a nice crispy outer texture to the bread, so I specify salted butter rather than unsalted. You will be transformed into a corn bread eating machine. Keywords: Side, Vegetables, Easy, Pork, Hot and Spicy, Tex-Mex ( RG1140 )