Cornbread Southern Style Ala Nita Recipes

SWEET SOUTHERN CORNBREAD ALA NITA

Steps:

• Preheat a 8 or 10 inch heavy skillet (seasoned black iron is great!) in 375°F oven.
• Or, grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
• In a large bowl, combine boiling water with Cornmeal Mix. Stir in well.
• Allow to sit about 3 to 5 minutes to absorb the water and burst the corn meal.
• Combine this mixture well with the remaining ingredients except baking soda.
• Add buttermilk slowly.
• Batter should be smooth and wet, but don't over mix.
• When mixed, just before pouring batter up, mix in the pinch of baking soda.
• Immediately pour batter into preheated oven and hot skillet or pan.
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan and serve.

CORNBREAD DRESSING ALA NITA

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 425 Degrees F.
• Grease a 9 X 13 pan and set aside.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter, but do not burn.
• Add onion and saute over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
• Add celery and continue sauteing for another 2 or 3 minutes or until onions are soft and somewhat translucent.
• Do NOT brown.
• Remove pan from burner and set aside.
• (Turn burner off.) In a large bowl or pan, combine breads, green onion, parsley and rest of seasonings.
• Add sauteed onions, celery and drippings.
• Mix well.
• Add eggs, chicken broth or stock and melted butter.
• Mix well.
• Stuffing mixture should be"wet" and thick like cake batter or soup.
• Add water if needed, but not too much.
• Pour stuffing mixture into greased pan and bake for about 40 minutes.
• Nita's Note: I do NOT add sage or boiled eggs to my dressing.
• Sage is not traditional in my family and many people do not like it.
• Boiled eggs toughen and"weep" when reheated.
• Eggs are better added to the bread when it is made.
• I do not"stuff" chicken or turkey.
• This is again, not traditional in our family.
• Now we are told by the health department folks that doing so can be dangerous and lead to food poisoning.
• Cornbread Dressing is served as a side dish with sliced or pulled chicken or turkey, cranberry sauce and gravy-- Either giblet gravy, or cream of chicken or turkey gravy.
• ENJOY!

CORNBREAD SOUTHERN STYLE ALA NITA

Steps:

• Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees F.
• If you have a large seasoned black iron skillet, add 3 tablespoons oil to it and place it in the oven while it heats.
• Otherwise, place oil in a baking pan to heat.
• In a medium bowl, combine meal, salt, sugar.
• Add HOT water, stir in and let sit about 5 minutes.
• Add lightly beaten egg.
• Stir in to combine.
• Add buttermilk or milk and mix well.
• Add melted butter, bacon drippings or oil.
• Mix well.
• Remove baking pan from oven with hot pads.
• Stir in the 1/8 teaspoon baking soda into cornbread mixture.
• Pour mixture into hot oiled pan.
• Place in preheated oven and bake at 375 Degrees F.
• for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
• A clean toothpick stuck in the center should come out clean.
• SERVE CORNBREAD HOT WITH BUTTER.
• ENJOY!