Cornbread (two ways)

Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't. . .self-rising cornmeal, that is.  The first recipe is the original recipe that is the first step to "Cornbread Dressing", the second one is my new favorite.  You can choose which one you want to use.


Cornbread recipe #1 (Jane Vaughn's recipe):


2 cups of self-rising cornmeal
1 egg
1-1/2 c. milk
1/8 c. oil
1 TB cornmeal


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix first 3 ingredients together well.  Add oil to an iron skillet on medium heat.  Sprinkle tablespoon of cornmeal over oil and brown slightly.  Add cornmeal mixture and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.




Cornbread recipe #2 (Pioneer Woman's recipe- yep, I straight up copied and pasted it onto this blog):

• 1/4 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Shortening
• 1 cup Yellow Corn Meal
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 
  
• CORNBREAD: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat shortening in an iron skillet, muffin pan, or other baking pan. Combine corn meal, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, and egg. Add baking powder and baking soda. Stir. Add ¼ cup melted shortening, stirring constantly. Pour into hot pan, smoothing surface with spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• 
  

Cornbread Dressing

Growing up with a Korean mother and an Italian/Welch father, our holidays were atypical.  Thanksgiving was always a huge feast, of course, but it was always a variety of Korean dishes as well as the traditional "American" meal.  Stuffing was usually made from a bag, and I loved it.  However, Jane Vaughn (an employer and long-time friend) introduced us to the most moist and delicious cornbread dressing I have ever had.  I would even dare to say that it tastes better than Cracker Barrel's!  GASP!  Thanks to my sister, Jean (who knows just how to ask politely for recipes and who could probably manage to get even the most treasured secret family recipes with her smile and panache), I now have that recipe!  I always get great complements when I make it. My motto on this on is "One's you go homemade cornbread dressing, you never go back!"



1 skillet cornbread (see "Cornbread" recipes)
3 boiled eggs, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1- 49.5 oz can chicken broth
1- 14.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of water
3 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper to taste (I usually don't add any salt)

Crumble cornbread in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Heat chicken broth, soup, water, onions and celery in medium stock pot, cook until onions and celery are tender.  Add chopped eggs, sage, salt, pepper and soup mixture to cornbread and mix well.  Mixture will be soupy.  Bake in a 9 x 13" baking dish for 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or until golden brown).




Giblet Gravy Recipe (optional)

1 can cream of chicken soup
2 small cans of chicken broth
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 boiled egg, chopped
1-2 TB cornstarch
1 c. water

Saute onions and celery in oil until tender.  Mix soups and broth together in a med. saucepan.  Add onions and celery to saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook approx. 20 minutes.  Add cornstarch to 1 c. water, dissolve and then add to mixture, cook until thickened.  If sauce is too thin, add more cornstarch (with water) and if too thick, add more liquid.

Korean "Egg Sauce" aka Gyeran Jjim

Mom's egg sauce was oh so delightful with a big bowl of rice and a side of kimchi.  She always made it in her silver medium saucepan and it always tasted light and delicious.  I can remember her whipping up a batch of this on late nights when my brother was visiting from out of town.  Kyong is the one who really knows how to make this like Mom's.  This is his slightly modified version.  Below are versions I found online where you make it in a hot pot and also make it in the microwave.

4 eggs (mom used to use way more)

3-4 tsp water

1 tsp sesame seed oil

black pepper

salt

chopped scallions

garlic

Whisk all the ingredients together.  Pour into saucepan (make sure to leave room at top for expansion).  Cook over low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes until egg is completely cooked.

Hot Pot Recipe:

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic

2 TB chopped scallions

Whisk ingredients together.  Pour into hot pot.  Cover.  Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Open pot up and cook until eggs are almost set (about 3 minutes)

Microwavable recipe:

3 eggs

1/2 cup water

3 tsp salted shrimp (optional)

*Tip: If you don’t have sae woo jeot (salted shrimp sauce), you can use 3 ts of fish sauce

2 green onions

In a microwavable bowl combine all ingredients and stir it with a fork.  Put the bowl into the microwave and cook for about 5 minutes.