MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - CORNBREAD CASSEROLE/CORN PUDDING, A SIDE DISH FOR THANKSGIVING

I was looking for a recipe for Thanksgiving and I came across this on Threads. It was a short video that a man shared, and he actually cooked this casserole on his barbecue. Fortunately, there were also instructions for the oven. We made it early, a practice run for the day. It really helps me to do that if I intend to make something new. I have made cornbread before, but never an actual casserole/pudding. It was very easy to put together. You can watch the video if you click on this link.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  

Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and completely coat, or you can use extra butter.

2 eggs

1 can cream-style corn

1 can whole kernel sweet corn, undrained

1 small container (8 ozs.) sour cream

1 package Jiffy cornbread mix

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Whisk the eggs until yolks are well mixed with the whites. Add other ingredients and combine thoroughly. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown. The casserole should still be a bit jiggly as you will see in the video at the original website.

The notes below are extensive but the actual recipe is short and fast to put together.  

First of all, our oven always runs on the cooler side and this dish took much longer to cook than the 45 minutes to 1 hour. It took ours at least an hour and 20 minutes. I think next time we will turn the oven on for 355 deg. F. or maybe 360 deg. F. You'll have to judge the timing with your own oven temperatures. The original timing might work for you. This is just a guideline.

I didn't have a round baking dish like that shown in the video. Mine was 9 x 9 inches square.

I used salted butter instead of unsalted. That’s all I had and didn’t want a special trip to the store just for that. 

What did we think of our dish? Both of us gave it a ten out of ten. It was excellent, delicious. 

I read the comments after watching the video, and everyone gave it a good review.  There were some interesting additions suggested.

Someone added cheese, onions and dill. This person said the dill made the dish stand out.

Another said add a shake or two of cayenne pepper to the batter.

Another said this would be perfect with a pot of chili or a good hardy soup.

Someone else added 3 finely chopped green onions, 3 finely chopped jalapenos and 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.

I had a piece the next day for my breakfast along with my smoothie. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

For those who don't have Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix available, here is a copycat version. This recipe came from here.

Copycat Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

I found the host's notes very interesting, particularly the following, which I have copied for you.

"The basis for my cornbread is typically a box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix. Did you know that Jiffy has been making these convenient mixes since 1930? They have certainly stood the test of time and cornbread is one of the stars.

I’ll be honest, there is no real incentive to making your own. The actual mix consists of real ingredients and is accessible on any budget. This recipe is more of a backup when I realize I am out and have no time to go to the store."

Copycat Jiffy Corn Bread Muffin Mix

Makes the equivalent of an 8-ounce box of Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix. Use for 6 muffins or double for a batch of cornbread. Variations below this recipe:

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sift or whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Store in an airtight container, make into muffins or into bread. 

I have added the host's notes for making this recipe.

 

"These basic ingredients are used to make the dry mix only. You will also need the wet ingredients added.

 

Flour – We need something to hold these muffins together, and all purpose flour will do just that. I would steer clear of whole wheat flour.

Yellow corn meal – You can’t have a homemade cornbread mix without cornmeal! It gives it that delicious, grainy texture. The brand of cornmeal can make this mix different hues of yellow. White corn meal can also be used!

Sugar – Perfect for the sweet cornbread lover, this mix needs an element of sweet besides the corn.

Baking powder – This will act as our leavening agent and help to make this homemade version of a box of jiffy mix to achieve its delicious grainy consistency.

Salt – To help balance out the flavors, we need just a touch of salt. I like to use fine sea salt.

To make this mix into actual cornbread or cornbread muffins, you’ll need oil or butter and milk. Whole milk will give the richest and moistest results. Use a natural oil or a good quality butter. Bright yellow European butters will yield more golden muffins or bread.

  

How to make Jiffy Corn Muffins.

Remember, this homemade mix only consists of the dry ingredients. You will need to follow the steps below to make the actual corn bread.

Make batter: To dry mixture, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter, 1/3 cup milk and 1 egg. Mix well. For lumpier muffins, reduce milk to 1/4 cup. 

Add to liners: Spoon into 6 lined muffin tins and bake. If tops start to brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Or loaf pans: To make two mini loaves: Split batter between two ceramic loaf pans sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

 

 

How to make Jiffy Corn Bread:

The Jiffy cornbread recipe is just as simple but only makes a small pan. Those boxes are tiny!

 

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8×8 baking dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Make Batter: Combine 1/3 vegetable oil or melted butter, 1/3 cup milk and 2 eggs with DOUBLE this recipe (or two boxes of Jiffy cornbread muffin mix). Mix until no dry spots remain - mixture will be a little lumpy, do not overmix.

Bake for 18 – 23 minutes or until golden brown.

Rest. Cool 10 minutes.

 

 

Corn Muffin Mix Variations

When making this delicious cornbread, try mixing things up to make it your own. The variations are endless and you can literally eat it daily and never have the same recipe twice. Below is a list of mix ins and extra ingredients to add to this easy recipe to spruce it up a little. Let us know what you added and how it was!

Cheese: Add 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese or other favorite cheese to the batter. If doubling for bread, add 1 cup. You can also sprinkle cheese directly on top of the muffins or bread.

 

Corn: Add 1/2 cup of sweet corn kernels to the batter for sweeter cornbread with little pops of freshness. Canned corn, frozen corn (thawed) or fresh corn works, just make sure it is drained and blotted dry to not add more moisture to the batter. Try roasted or grilled corn for even more depth of flavor.

Tang: Swap out the milk for buttermilk or half and half for richer bread with a tang.

Spicy: Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh jalapenos or jarred jalapenos. Other types of peppers that rank lower on the scoville scale work too. Think poblano, habanero or ghost peppers if you really want to sweat. Swap out 2 tablespoons of milk for the juice in a jar of jalapenos.

Bacon: Nothings pairs better than chewy, salty little bits of bacon. Use 1/2 cup in the batter to jazz it up.

Plain Greek yogurt: This can be whipped into the actual batter for a creamier bread, or dolloped on top just like sour cream. Add 1-2 tablespoons to the batter.

Sour cream: A southern staple and classic, add a dollop on top of your slice.

 

Syrup:) Looking for a sweet cornbread? Try adding 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, honey or agave nectar to the batter. You can also drizzle or baste this on top after it comes out of the oven. Kind of like a simple syrup basting onto butter cake. For sweet and spicy, try hot honey.

Fruit: no one ever thinks of adding fruit, but it tastes fantastic! Apples and peaches are my favorites, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of finely chopped fruit to the batter. For peaches, try to drain out as much of the liquid as possible.

Scallions: Add fresh oniony flavor with 2 tablespoons of chopped scallions right in the mix.

Fresh herbs:) Chop up a few from the garden and add them in! Sage, thyme, rosemary, dill, cilantro and parsley all work.

Green chiles: A little Tex-Mex style cornbread is fantastic too. Add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped green chiles. If using from a can, drain well.

Bell Pepper:  Fresh bell pepper or roasted red pepper are options.

Olives: Chop up to 1 tablespoon of olives for a briny bread.

Chile powder: Add 1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder or any other type, or a blend like chili powder to the batter. Dust on top for fun presentation.

 

Pickles: For those pickle lovers out there, add 1-2 tablespoons of chopped pickles and swap 2 tablespoons of milk for pickle juice.

Ranch Style: Add one packet of dry ranch seasoning.

Baste: While the muffins are still hot, baste with maple butter, molasses butter or honey butter.

Flavored Butters: Swap out the basic butter for compound butter for a wide array of savory options. These can also be served on the side.

Make it a Meal: Top a slice with a scoop of marinara sauce.

Salsa: Add 1/4 cup of chunky salsa to the batter or spoon on top before serving.

 

 

Storing Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

Storage: This mix will be shelf stable for up to a year. Store in an airtight container at room temperature until you are ready to make the cornbread. 

If cooked into bread or muffins, store in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. Wrap in a damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds at 50% power.

 

Freezing: You can also store this mix in the freezer. This helps to preserve the flavor longer. Place into a plastic freezer bag, squeezing as much air out as possible and then freeze for up to a year.

How to store Jiffy Corn Bread

Cornbread can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I highly suggest wrapping it in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 10-15 seconds to reactivate the gluten before eating.”

I would like to thank Jessica for not only this recipe, but for all the other additions and tips made above. I look forward to going back to look at her food blog.