No. 1 : Quick Recipe
Crusty, Moist and Easy Pumpkin Cornbread
- 3 TB Olive Oil, divided
- 1 Cup Canned Pumpkin
- 1 Cup Part Skim Buttermilk
- 1 TB Honey
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 Large Egg Whites
- 1 1/2 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
- 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1 TB Baking Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 Tsp Allspice
- 3/4 Tsp Sea Salt
Step One
Pour 1 TB of olive oil into your skillet. Place it in the oven and turn the oven to 400F.
Step Two
While the oven is preheating, stir the pumpkin, buttermilk, remaining oil, honey, egg and egg whites together in a large bowl.
Step Three
In a smaller bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, allspice and salt together.
Step Four
Stir the dry ingredients into the larger bowl of wet ingredients, stirring just to incorporate. Don’t over-mix*, a couple of lumps are fine.
Step Five
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and swirl the oil to coat the surface and sides. Pour in the batter and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until rich and crusty and done!
No. 2 : Kitchen Scoop
f you don’t have an iron skillet, now is the time to buy one! Carefully maintained over the years, these are the best non-stick pans, ever! I’ve got my mothers big one, (pictured above!) and a couple of small ones from my grandmother, but if you are not as fortunate as I am, Lodge Cast Iron Skillets are affordable and you can even buy them pre-seasoned. If you have inherited a skillet that is in rough shape, here’s a link to the way to restore its beauty and functionality: http://bit.ly/16FpxhV
No. 3 : Get Creative
*What’s Wrong with Over-mixing?
Here’s some science behind baking that you can use with this recipe – and other favorites. When you are making bread or muffins with baking powder and milk, bubbles are formed that cause the batter to rise. These bubbles allow the bread to rise in the heat of the oven. If you over-mix, the bubbles pop prematurely, releasing the gas and the keeping your baked good from rising during baking! So, if you are looking for a fat, puffy and light bread or muffin, don’t over-mix!
No. 4 : Wine FIND of the Week
The Velvet Devil Merlot
Columbia Valley Washington
About $16.00
I am a great fan of Washington state winemaker Charles Smith. Almost all of the wines he has created are smartly priced for everyday enjoyment and the names of the wines and creative labels are super fun. Velvet Devil Merlot tastes of dark cherries, cedar and just a touch of anise – a great match for rich fall flavors like pumpkin, squash, cinnamon and allspice!