Cast Iron Cookery

Good Morning!!!!

I am now going to try to hit every yard sale in east Texas. I am in hot pursuit of cast iron cookery! Yep, you got it. The stuff your grandma used to cook in. The stuff you whipped out on a boy scout camping trip. That rusty old crap that the dog has been drinking out of in the backyard for 17 years. That's right.....and I'm gonna clean it up. I''m going to use salt as an abrasive and a SOS pad.. I'm gonna scrub and scrub....even use some Barkeepers friend. Get rid of all of that rust. Then, I am going to rub it down with vegetable oil. Put it into a 275 degree oven for a few hours. Now, do it again. And again. And again. This is called "seasoning" the cast iron. It should just glisten. If you are fortunate enough to find a piece of Griswold cast iron.....let me know! I am especially interested in the corn muffin pans that the molds are shaped like little ears of corn.

We did many recipes last night, but here was a great one......

BACON CHEESE AND JALAPENO STUFFED CORNSTICKS (or muffins) This is why I want the cornstick shaped muffin pan, but a regular one will do.

1 Tbsp. bacon fat or shortening for greasing the muffin pan. ( Shortening is for sissies)
1 Tbsp., bacon fat or shortening melted for the Melting Pot.
Crispy jalapeno bacon cut into 1/2 X 3 pieces.
Jalapenos sliced 1/8" thickk, no seeds,2 inches long
1 1/2 cups stoneground yellow cornmeal. (Any cornmeal will do, but I like this one.)
1/2 cup flour
1 tspn salt
2 tspns baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
smoked gouda cut in strips
cream cheese cut in strips

Grease your muffin pan with the fat and place in oven while it preheats to 450 degrees. Mix cornmeal, flour,salt, soda, and baking powder. Then add egg and buttermilk and beat with a spoon. Add melted fat or shortening and enough water to make a thin batter. Remove very hot pans from the oven and fill each pan up 2/3 full. Top with a piece of bacon, a jalapeno slice, a slice of gouda, and a bit of cream cheese. Bake about 15 minutes, or until brown on top. Thin batter, cast iron, and a hot oven is the secret! If you don't have the muffin pans use a skillet, and spread the cheese, bacon and jalapenos over the top.

This ain't your Grandma's cornbread!!!!!! And who the hell can refuse bacon fat? Why, it's UnAmerican. If you are worried about the fat, go eat some damned cottage cheese and give me your muffin. Thank you.