Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow, white, or blue cornmeal
• 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup cooking oil or shortening, melted

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another bowl beat together eggs, milk, and oil or melted shortening. Adding to flour mixture and stir just till batter is smooth (do not overbeat).
3. Pour into a greased 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake in a 425° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden brown.
4. Corn Sticks or Corn Muffins: Prepare as above, except spoon batter into greased corn stick pans or muffin pans, filling pans 2/3 full. Bake in a 425° oven for 12 to 15 minutes or till brown. Makes 24 to 26 sticks or 12 muffins.
5. Corny Corn Bread: Prepare as above, except stir one 12-ounce can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained, into the batter.
6. Crunchy Corn Bread: Prepare as above, except pour 1 cup boiling water over 1/4 cup cracked wheat or bulgur. Let stand 5 minutes; drain. Add 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats to flour mixture. Add cracked wheat or bulgur mix-ture and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir just till smooth. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
7. Confetti Corn Bread: Prepare as above, except stir 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup finely shredded carrot, and 1/4 cup finely shredded zucchini into batter.
8. Green Chili Corn Bread: Prepare as above, except fold 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese and one 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained, into batter.
9. Corn Bread Miniloaf: Prepare as above, except use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk, and 2 tablespoons cooking oil or shortening, melted. Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a 425° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden brown. Makes 4 servings.