Blast from the past

When I was just starting to mess around in the kitchen, years ago when I was still in college and thought that Parmesan cheese only came in a can, I received a Better Homes & Gardens cookbook from Justin as a gift. I thought it was beautiful. My mom always had one just like it, old and stained, stuffed in a drawer in her kitchen. There were always recipes jammed between the pages, extracted from newspapers or magazines or on torn pieces of paper in the handwriting of an aunt or a friend. My copy was brand new. Shiny pages and hundreds of recipes at my fingertips.

One of my first experiments from this cookbook was cornbread. The recipe was perfect–the cornbread was sweet, airy, and beautiful. I made other recipes from the book, but this is the only one that has stayed with me. I’ll have to revisit that cookbook, dusty and forgotten on the top shelf of my cooking library…

Cornbread

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9×9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray; put aside. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

In another bowl combine the eggs, milk, and canola oil. Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 9 servings.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

One response to “Blast from the past”

  1. Crystal, I just discovered your site and am really enjoying it. I too am an Austinite and food fanatic. Looking forward to trying some of these delicious recipes! Thanks!

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