Growing up in a southern household it was not uncommon for us to have cornbread on the dinner table. I can remember being 5 or 6 years old and watching my Mama put cornbread batter into a screaming hot cast iron that had been heating up in the oven just moments before. You could already see the crust starting to form. I grew up with savory cornbread. This is big debate in my house, some of us like the savory kind and others like their cornbread to be closer to cake. Lol. For the folks who’re avoiding gluten, a Gluten Free Stone Ground Cornmeal Product is a great alternative.
I have tried all kinds of corn bread mixes. You know the ones that claim to be delish but really don’t turn out to be up to snuff to my grandmothers. I end up making my own for the most part because I just can’t handle the let down. I know, serious right? But I am a serious lover, and connoisseur of corn bread. I really do like to consume it with different flavors, and different varieties. I like corn bread savory sometimes, sweet and cakey sometimes, and sometimes in between. Here enters Simply Homemade.
I was recently introduced to this brand of corn bread mix and I must say I am in love! It’s one of the only mixes I have found that taste like cornbread. I also like the fact that its only slightly sweet and that I can use if for many different applications both savory and sweet. If I want a traditional corn bread with a light and fluffy texture, all I have to do is follow the directions on the box and I have a wonderful addition to any meal. But I decided that I would get creative the next time I cooked it.
Now we all know that cooking inside in the summer can heat up the house. So I like to as much as I can cook outside on my grill. So why not make corn bread on the grill?? I mean its basically an oven right, once you shut the lid. So I grabbed one of my beautiful cast iron skillets and placed a bit of coconut oil in the bottom and placed it on the grill to heat up just that way my Mama and Grandmother taught me to do in the oven. I closed the lid and began mixing my batter.
I didn’t just want to do plain corn bread this time around. So I decided that I would make it firey in direct response to my chosen cooking method. I love spicy tomato dishes and I knew that those flavors would pair well with the Simply Homemade cornbread mix. I put a small can of tomato paste into the mixture, with some cream cheese, a tbs of sriracha sauce, and of course the ingredients the box called for, eggs, milk and melted better. I mixed them until just combined. Now I split this batter between two smaller cast irons, or you could do one big one. I turned the grill down to medium low heat. It’s important to heat the oil you use to pretty hot so that when you put the mixture in the crust begins to form but you need to turn the grill down pretty low and let it cook for quite a while so that the crust doesn’t burn and you end up with burnt crust and raw middle. Believe me I have done this. J It will probably take any where for 40minutes to an hour to get the cornbread done all they way through. Once a toothpick comes out clean or its firm to the touch its ready. Turn your corn bread out onto a plate or cutting board and enjoy! (Note: if you have properly greased your cast iron and let it come up to temp with the oil in place the cornbread should come out with ease and not stick.)
Ingredients:
1 box of Simply Homemade Cornbread mix
1 egg
2/3 cup of milk
1 6oz can of tomato paste
1 tbs of sriracha or hot sauce of your choosing
4 oz of cream cheese
2 tbs of coconut oil or oil of your choice
melted butter (follow package directions)
Directions:
Turn grill on medium high heat and add oil to cast iron skillet and allow to heat. If you are using two small skillets use 2 tbs for larger size, and 1 tbs for the smaller size. In a large mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. It will be fiery red. Split between two cast iron skillet or one large one and close the lid of the grill turn down to low to medium low. Allow to cook until firm or about one hour. Check on the corn bread periodically to check for burning. If you find its getting too dark but almost done, turn off the grill and leave closed for remaining time.
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