Receta Tasty Sour Cream Skillet Cornbread

by Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner

Take a guess... what's more American than apple pie. It's cornbread, of course! The English brought apple pie to our shores, but the Powhatan Indians taught the early immigrants how to parch, grind, and the mix corn with boiling water to make "johnny cakes."  They lacked the flavor of our cornbread today, but were essential staples for traders and hunters as they wandered the Native American trails. "Johnny cakes" were originally called "journey cakes" because of those travels on the trails, with the name later morphing into "johnny cakes." Corn was so vital back then that is was used as a form of currency, and it's just as vital today for all the good dishes it provides as well as grain for animals. Bill often stakes dried ears of corn for the cardinals in our back yard. Cornbread in the "olden days" often included lard or other grease resulting from cooked meat for the table. The cornbread was baked in and then served in an iron skillet with that fat, creating a crisp crust with a bit of crunch. That's the way I like it today. I love cornbread, and I could eat it for any meal, including breakfast. I've tried a plethora of cornbread recipes, I've baked my fair share over the years, and hands down this is our favorite... Substituting sour cream for milk is the secret to transforming ordinary cornbread into a special cornbread. The higher acidity of sour creams adds a sort of tangy flavor, plus it helps the baking soda achieve a greater rise. BatterReady to bakeVoila!The cornbread is moist and tender, it doesn't crumble like most cornbreads do ~ and the crust is perfect with its crispy edge. It bakes up beautifully every time... It's a winner! Try it, bet you'll agree: It will be a winner at your home too! Sour Cream Skillet Cornbread  Printable copy Ingredients:  1 cup flour  3/4 cup cornmeal  ½ teaspoon baking soda  1½ teaspoon baking powder  1 tablespoon sugar  ½ teaspoon salt  1½ cups sour cream  2 eggs  4 tablespoons butter, melted  Shortening Method:  Preheat oven to 375°.  Generously coat 10" cast iron skillet with shortening, (I use Crisco).  Place skillet in oven to preheat while you make the batter. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt and cornmeal in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, beat together sour cream, eggs and butter.  Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients quickly until just blended, do not over-stir.  Carefully pour batter into hot greased skillet.  Bake 25-30 minutes until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Slice into wedges and serve with butter, and honey, if desired. Enjoy!