Hi all. Great beginnings for me here. I’m new to this blog and I had a new book, Soul of a Killer, come out yesterday!
All very exciting stuff. So I thought I do my first post on a food related to my book--a quick easy recipe but something I love to eat.
Soul of a Killer, the second book in my Books & Biscuits cozy series, takes place in Timberlake, Washington.
A fictional town where the fraternal twins, who are the main characters of the
book, live and run a bookstore and soul food café. What a combination, right?
Read a good book and eat good food! So here's a little "soul" from my kitchen.
So good! And healthy too. A hot, yummy bowl of collards appears in the opening scene of Book 1 of the series, Body and Soul Food.
But let me tell you a little about my kind of soul food—there really aren’t any recipes. Sure, there are a list of ingredients you add, but how it’s done is definitely a little different than what most cooks are used to. You do it by tasting, adding a little of this and a little of that, and then tasting a little more until you get it just right. Lots of times there are no cups of one ingredient and a tablespoon of another. And I thought, I shouldn't put a dish on Mystery Lovers Kitchen for my first post that really doesn’t have a recipe. I decided to do a food that you can’t eat collard greens without—cornbread!
Not a full meal for dinner for most, but I am a bread person (are you?) I love to eat bread (with butter) as an accompaniment to a meal or a snack. Cornbread is something I'll make a pan of and eat the thing myself (okay, not all at once). I'm often asked to make a pan for friends or for family gatherings so I decided to share it here with you. Try and let me know what you think.
Here's the way I do it:
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking
powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 box of Jiffy Mix
About one cup of milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted
butter melted
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven
to 350 degrees. Grease a cast iron skillet or a 9-inch round cake pan with
cooking oil. Set aside.
2. In a large
bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, Jiffy Mix and salt.
3. Add milk
and eggs. Mix to combine all ingredients.
4. Melt butter and add to mixture. Don’t over mix as cornbread will be dry.
5. Pour
cornbread batter into greased pan.
6. Bake
until the cornbread begins to brown on top (about 20-25 minutes). Slice (like a pizza) and
melt butter on top.
Looking forward to seeing you all around the kitchen. And here's where I am.
Welcome to the group, Abby, and congratulations on the new book! The cornbread sounds fabulous.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWelcome Abby--I tried to say that at the top twice but Blogger is acting out today! We're happy to have you in our kitchen.
ReplyDeleteWell I know it gave me grief! I guess that was my initiation. Lol
DeleteWelcome, Abby!
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie!
DeleteWelcome to MLK Abby! I recently made cornbread--I had a piece, my husband ate the rest! Next time, I will be trying your recipe.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Kitchen, Abby, and big congrats on the publication of your second Books & Biscuits Mystery SOUL OF A KILLER, woot! And, oh, that cornbread with the butter melting on top looks amazing. Pass me some, please? ~ Cleo
ReplyDeleteOh! Sorry! I ate it all! Lol. I'll save you some next time, Cleo.
DeleteWelcome to the Kitchen, Abby -- we're delighted to have you!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Happy to be here.
DeleteCongratulations on your new book, Abby, and welcome to MLK. I have to try your cornbread recipe.
ReplyDeleteExplain more about the Jiffy mix ingredient, please. I have always used Jiffy cornbread mix and followed the recipe on the box. Is that the mix you mean?
ReplyDeleteYes. The Jiffy Mix that comes in a box. You can make cornbread from it (not considered from "scratch" but it's too sweet for me. I just add a little in my scratch mix for flavor.
DeleteWelcome Abby! I may have to make your cornbread for my mom, she loves it!
ReplyDeleteI hope she enjoys it!
DeleteLol, Abby--a gal after my own heart! I, too, rarely measure when I'm cooking. I simply taste, add this and that, then taste again. So coming up with actual "recipes" for my books (and for this website) can be difficult.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Kitchen, my dear, and looking forward to reading your new book--and to the day when you tell us more about your mom's collard greens--yum!
I love cornbread and will definitely try your recipe. My mother used to fix red beans and cornbread for dinner. We would usually have onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers on the side — sometimes each separately and sometimes mixed together as a salad. Looking forward to reading your new book. I really enjoyed Book 1.
ReplyDeleteCornbread. Definitely a staple in the southern kitchen. You obviously are among the sugar in the cornbread group, as opposed to the sugar in the cornbread? no way group. I look forward to your posts!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the kitchen, Abby! That meal of cornbread, collard greens, and tomatoes looks delish. My kind of meal!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to MLK, Abby! Your book looks fabulous and the recipe, too!
ReplyDeleteYour book covers are really eye catching!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to MLK! For me collard greens, cornbread & sweet tea is definitely a meal. My Mom's family is from Tennessee & they are all great Southern cooks. Looking forward to your recipes & already love your mysteries!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I lived outside of Knoxville for four years and I have to agree! Abby's tomatoes made that menu into a feast:)
DeleteWelcome to the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued. Why the addition of the Jiffy mix?