Cornbread and Milk mix Poll! (Wichita Falls, Mason: cottage, best, oven)

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I say a little tweaking never hurt anyone, whether you're making it more moist or adding a touch of sweetness to it.

Even though we're really only joking, I certainly don't believe that sugar in cornbread breaks any sort of unwritten law of southern cooking. I think it largely depends on one's background and traditions. My kin are as suthern and kuntreefied as they come, and adding sugar is just the way we did things.

To me there's a difference between adding a bit of sugar and what I would call corn muffins. Ever had the corn muffins at Boston Market? Way too sweet, more of a dessert. Blech!

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

My kin are as suthern and kuntreefied as they come, and adding sugar is just the way we did things.

Every southern cook I have ever known seems to add a little sugar to most things. I never really gave it any thought, it was just one of those southern things.

Originally Posted by debzkidz

I love buttermilk as an ingredient, but not to consume by itself. I never liked the Now, I do add a big dollop of sour cream to it. It doesn't change the flavor, but it sure does make it moist.

I'm the way same on the buttermilk.

As to the sour cream in the cornbread, what a great idea! Ill try it next time. I put sour cream in my blueberry muffins and it makes them so moist and yummy.

[KathrynAragon]

Here's how you do it:

Hot water cornbread - just fried and piping hot and crispy is best!

http://bravethekitchen.com/2011/08/s...ter-cornbread/



Tear that up as fast as you can so you don't burn your fingers, and chunk it in the coldest glass of sweet milk you can get your hands on! Or, buttermilk will do nicely too.


My dad adds a twist that I can't quite go for - he adds a spoonfull or two of black eyed peas to the mix.

That's hardcore.

http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com/b...-and-milk.html

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/...in_crumble_in/

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

I put a little sugar in mine, not much, it certainly isn't sweet, but my Mother did it this way and so do I. I think it just gives it a little flavor and like I said, never enough to make it sweet.

But I put a little sugar in most everything. Fry up a skillet of squash, sprinkle sugar over it before taking it up. I guess every tomato based recipe I make, I add a little sugar too. I even put a dab of sugar in my homemade hot sauce (salsa). You would never in your lifetime guess it had any sugar in it though. LOL Must be that southern part of me coming out. )

I will add though that I never put any sugar in my red beans, nor anything else for that matter, except salt and bacon grease (or a slab of bacon or ham bone).

Surely you jest!

I am sitting here trying to imagine cooking up red beans without putting onions, celery, Ro Tel tomatoes, Tony's, a squirt of ketchup, and salt and pepper in there along with that ham bone! My hands will not allow me to do otherwise.

Let that simmer all afternoon long on the stove, and then pour it over some rice and serve it alongside a big piece of steaming hot cornbread dripping with real butter - now THAT'S living!

I am with you on the sugar thing though - just a touch, in both the cornbread and the red beans. When I say "touch" I mean just that - not enough for you to really KNOW it's got sugar in it, but just the slightest bit that adds a little complexity to the flavor.

I am so stinking hungry now that I've read this thread!

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

So, it's okay to alter the texture of cornbread, but I can't put a pinch of sugar in it?

You can ABSOLUTELY put a pinch of sugar in it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Surely you jest!

I am sitting here trying to imagine cooking up red beans without putting onions, celery, Ro Tel tomatoes, Tony's, a squirt of ketchup, and salt and pepper in there along with that ham bone! My hands will not allow me to do otherwise.

No ma'am, I'm serious. Now you do realize when I say red beans, I am talking about pinto beans. I just season them and that's all, well, I do add some chunks of jalapeno pepper sometimes towards the end of cooking. I figure if I want a different flavor bean, I will open a can of ranch style or chili beans to which I might or might not add some chopped onion, maybe some peppers. To me, sometimes more can be less if you know what I mean. But it's strictly all up to one's own preferences.

BTW, great pics! You're making all of us hungry!

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

No ma'am, I'm serious. Now you do realize when I say red beans, I am talking about pinto beans. I just season them and that's all, well, I do add some chunks of jalapeno pepper sometimes towards the end of cooking. I figure if I want a different flavor bean, I will open a can of ranch style or chili beans to which I might or might not add some chopped onion, maybe some peppers. To me, sometimes more can be less if you know what I mean. But it's strictly all up to one's own preferences.

BTW, great pics! You're making all of us hungry!

Oh, my bad - I didn't realize you were talking about pinto beans.

Hell, I have no idea how to cook those. I guess a ham bone would do the trick!

[Cathy4017]

All of the dried beans--pinto, red, black, white, black-eyed peas, anasazi, maricoba, whatever....are all cooked the same way here. Some just take longer than others!

[Brian.Pearson]

My grandmother liked to give us (my sister and I) this treat: Cornbread and buttermilk. We loved it. Currently, I prefer buttermilk and butter.

[Brian.Pearson]

Instead of "buttermilk and butter", I meant "bread and butter" or "cornbread and butter"...