GRANDMA'S JOHNNY CAKE--CORN BREAD

There are no clouds in the sky just this dreary gray dome overhead.  Looking out at the lake, you can't tell where the lake ends and the sky starts.  It is just all gray.  The snow is dirty, the trees are gray, the sun is hiding.  The crawl along the bottom of the TV screen warns of a Winter Storm Watch starting at 7pm.  A good day to lay in supplies and hunker down.  A big pot of chili and a pan of corn bread sound like a warm source of comfort during the coming storm.

A dreary gray day.

Everyone has their own chili recipe.  I always wonder why there are so many chili recipes in magazines and such as I think everyone has a favorite family chili and that is what they make every time.  I do.  My Mom had a secret ingredient for her chili so maybe I will make our family chili sometime for a Post.  I told a cafeteria worker, at the meat company where I worked, my Mom's secret.  He went on to win a chili contest and never gave my Mom credit.  I thought that was petty of him.

So moist, sooooooo good!!!!!  Enjoy!!!!! 

I have never found a recipe for this slightly sweet, moist cornbread anywhere but in my family's kitchen. It is a very old "recept" which is what recipes use to be called.  Sweetened condensed milk was one of the first commercially canned foods.  It was a very important food during the Civil War.  Grandma always served this Johnny Cake with chili. My grandchildren, my children and I love it.  Everyone I have ever served it to wanted the recipe except for a few Southerns who don't like sweet cornbread.


GRANDMA'S JOHNNY CAKE OR CORNBREAD
This cornbread can be thrown together in minutes and only takes 30 to 35 minutes to bake depending on the size of the pan. 



1 c all-purpose flour
1 c yellow cornmeal, stone-ground, if possible
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 egg
Butter the size of an egg, softened (3 to 4 T)
Scant cup Eagle-Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (7/8c)*
1 c sour milk/buttermilk (or 1 c milk plus 1 T vinegar or lemon
juice)

Ingredients:  Flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, egg, butter, buttermilk and sweetened condensed milk.  My Grandma used yellow Quarter Corn Meal. I like stone-ground yellow cornmeal.

Thoroughly mix together the dry ingredients. If using the milk with vinegar or lemon juice allow to set for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients including milk to dry ingredients; stir to mix. Pour batter into greased 9x9-inch baking pan, or an 8x8-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.  The 8x8-inch pan will take longer to bake. Serve hot with butter; however, unlike most cornbreads, this one is good cold too. *NOTE: Half of 14oz.can of sweetened condensed milk equals 7/8 cup.

Measure dry ingredients into a bowl.  Thoroughly mix together.

Break egg into blended dry ingredients.

Mix to blend white and yolk.

If butter is cold, slice into pieces for easy mixing.

Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan or a 9x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

Measure buttermilk.

Add to the bowl and mix all the ingredients together.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

This pan of cornmeal has a low spot in the center because I hurried it along so we could get to our Grandson's concert.  I shoved it into a cooler bag as soon as it came from the oven.  It doesn't look great but the taste was not effected.  It tasted fantastic!

Moist and beautiful.

Slather on some butter and enjoy!!!!