Bread Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn}

Sweet Skillet Cornbread perfectly straddles the border between savory Southern cornbread and its honey-sweet Northern cousin – not too sweet, not too savory – and gets an added pop in the form of delicious pan-fried maple-glazed corn.

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My mother was raised in Missouri (which she adamantly pronounces “Missour-rah,” in case you’re wondering), and most of the food she cooked for us when I was a child reflected her Show Me State roots. Her cornbread was no exception, with a texture and flavor that perfectly straddled the border between savory Southern cornbread and honey-sweet Northern cornbread.

This Sweet Skillet Cornbread recipe isn’t my mother’s, although I wish it was. (I’m still looking for that one.) However, it does come close, especially with regard to texture: neither too cakey nor too gritty, this cornbread resides in a happy middle ground.

As far as sweetness, this skillet cornbread leans a little more north than my mom’s cornbread ever did (I may have a a bit of a sweet-tooth), but it definitely isn’t as sweet as those squares of yellow cake they serve on the side at your local rib chain.

When you make cornbread, consider sugar a variable: if you prefer your cornbread less sweet, just reduce the sugars accordingly. On the other hand, if you like your cornbread honey-sweet, increase the sugar or maple syrup a bit.

**What Makes This Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe Unique?**

Cornmeal Presoak – I imagine that people have been presoaking their cornmeal ever since the first person made the first corn-cake and everyone complained about how much it hurt their teeth. Presoaking the cornmeal in warm milk significantly reduces the cornmeal’s gritty texture, but does not completely destroy it as regrinding the cornmeal can. You can skip this step if you prefer that super-crunchy cornmeal grittiness, but it really does make a difference.
Hot Skillet Start – When you transfer the cornbread batter into the preheated skillet [Cornbread, Step 5], you are essentially starting to fry a giant cornbread pancake. This results in a nice toasty brown on the bottom and gets the baking process going quickly.
Pan-fried Maple Corn – Gotta say, I’m giving myself a pat on the back for coming up with this idea. 🤚🏼. Not only does the pan-fried maple corn gives the cornbread a little extra texture, but it delivers a nice little pop of flavor, too.

Baking Tip: Reduce the grittiness in homemade #cornbread by presoaking the cornmeal in warm milk before making the batter. 🌽 More tips, plus Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn} #recipe. #bakingtips Click To Tweet

PREP NOTES:

Do not use a mixer for this recipe, as it will result in over-beating. This cornbread batter can and should be made entirely by hand.
Be sure to use medium grind cornmeal, not course grind.
Add an extra egg if you like your cornbread to be more cake-like.
I use a cast iron skillet to pan-fry the corn and a cast iron pie dish for baking the cornbread, but you can use one or the other for the entire recipe.

5 from 6 votes

Sweet Skillet Cornbread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn}

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

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Course: Bread, Comfort Food, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cornbread

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups cornmeal medium grind
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter divided

Pan-fried Maple Corn

1 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F [220°C].
Heat milk in medium microwave-safe bowl for 30-45 seconds, until very warm (about 105°F | 40°C). Stir cornmeal into warm milk and set aside to soak for at least 15 minutes.

Pan-fried Maple Corn

Heat 9- or 10-inch cast iron pie dish or skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter to skillet and allow it to partially melt. Add frozen corn and increase heat to medium-high.
Stir corn and butter in skillet until water released by corn has completely reduce and corn begins to brown slightly, about 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, and drizzle 2 tablespoons maple syrup over corn. Stir for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Remove corn from skillet and set aside.
Place the pie dish or skillet in the oven to preheat while you make the cornbread mixture.

Cornbread

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Whisk brown sugar and white sugar into the milk and cornmeal mixture that has been soaking. Whisk in eggs. Stir in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, plus vegetable oil, vanilla, and remaining maple syrup. Reserve the last tablespoon of butter for buttering the pie dish/skillet.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir in 1/2 of the maple-glazed corn.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F [190°C]. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, brush the baking surfaces of the hot skillet with the reserved 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
Pour the batter into the hot skillet. Sprinkle the remaining maple-glazed corn evenly over the top, and place on the center rack of the oven.
Bake until the center is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes for 10-inch skillet or cast iron pie dish. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

IMPORTANT: This cornbread batter can and should be made entirely by hand. Do not use a mixer, as it will result in over-beating.

You can add an extra egg if you'd like the texture of your cornbread to be a little more cake-like.

If you are using a 12-inch skillet, reduce baking time by 5-7 minutes.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Note: Cornbread does not keep well, and is best if eaten immediately. I like to freeze any leftover cornbread for use in recipes or as cornbread crumbs. (I have a delicious recipe for Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Bake coming to the blog later this summer!)

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

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How to Make Homemade Burger Buns

April 17 By Renée ♥ 15 Comments

Making beautiful homemade burger buns is just about as simple as it gets. Simply mix up your favorite bread dough recipe (or use mine), form buns, and bake! ⠀

Once every other week, Mr. B gathers with a bunch of his buddies for three hours to play poker, catch up on life, and talk fish or sports or work or whatever. They’ve been doing this for over a decade now, rotating houses and taking turns hosting. It is their custom that whomever hosts provides at least a substantial snack, and more often, a full-on meal.

I usually vacate the house on Poker Night (too much cheeky crowing in a confined space can make a person woozy) but before I leave, I always try to make a good dinner for the guys. According to Mr. B, I’ve developed a reputation among the group as their favorite Poker Night cook, and while I admit these guys are obviously easily impressed, I’ll take it.

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I’ve made the Poker Guys homemade burger buns for pulled pork sandwiches, and Sloppy Joes [above], and all sorts of other man-wiches over the years. Each time I do, the first thing Mr B says to me at the end of the night is, “Baby, the guys all love your buns!”

Well, alrighty then.

Making beautiful homemade burger buns is just about as simple as it gets. Just pick your favorite bread recipe, let it rise once, form buns, let them rise again and bake. Boom!!

Let me break it down for you.

[Click here to go directly to my recipe for CHEESE & ONION BURGER BUNS!]

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE HAMBURGER BUNS

[1] Make your favorite bread dough and let it rise once. You can do this first step in a bread maker or by hand: either way works fine.

FOR BREAD MACHINE: Layer ingredients in the order shown into bread maker and set on Dough Setting.
FOR MANUAL PREP: Mix and knead the dough by hand. You can find excellent general directions for making bread without a bread machine here.

[2] After the dough has completed the Dough Cycle (or the first rise if you are kneading by hand) turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and divide the dough into equal square portions. (I often do a combination of sizes so that there is something for every appetite.)

TIP: Use a kitchen scale for uniform buns.

- LARGE BUNS: Allow about 3oz / 85gm of dough for each roll.
- SLIDER BUNS: Allow about 1½oz / 42gm of dough for each roll.

Don’t stress if your little dough squares aren’t exactly the same. You can always take a bit from one and add it to another if you want.

[3] Now you will have a counter full little square dough-patties, ready to set out for the second rise.

FOR SQUARE BUNS: Continue to the next step.
FOR ROUND BUNS: Gently pull the four corners of each square dough-pattie together and pinch them together, and give the pinched portion a slight twist. Turn the pinched dough side down, and pat gently to form a round pattie shape. Take care to not work the dough too much.

[4] Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Place the dough-patties at least 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel, and set in a warm place to rise again for about an hour.

[5] OPTIONAL: Just before you put the dough-buns in the oven, brush the tops with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk). Be gentle as you do this, taking care to not deflate the rolls in the process. If you want to make poppy or sesame seeds buns, sprinkle the seeds on top right after you brush them with the egg wash.

[6] Put the tray of rolls in the oven and bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes (depending on size) or until slightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and place on wire rack to cool.

You can make homemade hamburger buns with almost any bread recipe. Here’s one of my favorites – Cheese & Onion Buns!

How to Make Homemade Burger Buns, with recipes for "Cheese & Onion Buns" and "Cheesy Ranch Buns" | The Good Hearted Woman

5 from 6 votes

Cheese & Onion Burger Buns

These savory Cheese & Onion Buns are perfect for burgers, sandwiches, BBQ and just about anything else you can think of.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Rising Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 50 mins

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Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: barbecue, burger buns, hamburger buns, homemade buns, Homemade Burger Buns, sandwiches, summer

Servings: servings

Calories: 75kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/8 cups warm water 9oz | 255gm
4 ¼ cups bread or all-purpose flour 18oz | 510gm
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cups grated cheddar cheese about 5oz | 142gm
1/3 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Instructions

You can do this first step in a bread maker or by hand: either way works fine.
FOR BREAD MACHINE: Layer ingredients in the order shown into bread maker and set on Dough Setting.
FOR MANUAL PREP: Mix and knead the dough and do the prep by hand. You can find excellent general directions for making bread without a bread machine here.
After the dough has completed the Dough Cycle (or the first rise if you are kneading by hanturn it out onto a lightly floured board.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and divide the dough into equal square portions. If you are concerned about uniformity, use a kitchen scale.
For LARGE BUNS: Allow about 3oz / 85gm of dough for each roll.
For SLIDER BUNS: Allow about 1½oz / 42gm of dough for each roll. (I like to make a combination of sizes so that there is something for every appetite.)
Now you will have a counter full little square dough-patties, ready to set out for the second rise.
FOR SQUARE BUNS: Continue to the next step.
FOR ROUND BUNS: Gently pull the four corners of each square dough-pattie together and pinch them together, and give the pinched portion a slight twist. Turn the pinched dough side down, and pat gently to form a round pattie shape. Take care to not work the dough too much.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Place the dough-patties at least 1 inch apart on the lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel, and set in a warm place to rise again for about an hour.
OPTIONAL: Just before you put the dough-buns in the oven in the oven, brush the tops with an egg wash made up of 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk. Be gentle as you do this, taking care to not deflate the rolls in the process. If you want to make poppy or sesame seeds buns, sprinkle the seeds on top right after you brush them with the egg wash.
Put the rolls in the oven and bake at 375ºF / 190ºC for 15-20 minutes (depending on sizor until slightly browned on top.
Remove from the oven, place on wire rack to cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcal

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Now your buns are ready to slice and toast (if you’re into that kind of thing) and serve up with your favorite burger, fillings, and sandwich makings.

As with all fresh, preservative-free bread, it’s best to eat your homemade burger buns within a day or two. Buns can also be frozen for later.

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to PIN and Print this recipe!

A NOTE ABOUT MEASURING: Cooking often gives you a great deal of latitude about amounts and ingredients. Baking is more finicky, so please be sure to measure. (Apparently, I need to invest in some new measuring spoons. The third one from the left is older than I am!)

St Pat’s Irish Soda Bread

March 15 By Renée ♥ 9 Comments

Perfected and approved by real Irish persons, for your pleasure, this Irish Soda Bread is amazingly easy to make.

As you may know, St Patrick’s Day is my favorite holiday. In fact, I love all things Celtic – even my wedding ring has emeralds and Celtic knots on it – and I’ve always had a thing for Ireland and the Irish people. I can literally take on a light brogue just thinking about it. (In fact, as I write this, I’m falling into it).

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My affinity for Ireland dates back to before I can remember, so it should be no surprise that every St. Pat’s Day is a real celebration at our house. On that day each year, I serve up a feast of “Once-a-Year” mashed potatoes (so called because they are so rich and creamy you should only eat them once a year), slow-cooked corned beef, corn, cabbage, and soda bread; and then I usually throw in something new year to year to mix things up.

However, before even one fork full passes, I deliver my compulsory pre-St Patrick’s Day dinner monologue (which I will share with you one of these years) about the fascinating and inspiring life of the real man who become St Patrick. It takes all of about three minutes, and my kids sigh and groan and laugh through it every year. At this point, they can repeat it almost verbatim. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

(If you’d like to learn more about the real Saint Patrick, I highly recommend that you read “How the Irish Saved Civilization,” by Thomas Cahill.)

Today I am sharing with you one of my most prized St. Pat’s recipes: my Irish Soda Bread. Perfected and approved by real Irish persons, for your pleasure, this Soda Bread is amazingly easy to make.

(If you are interested learning more about St Patrick, I highly recommend reading How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.)

St Pat’s Irish Soda Bread

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

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Servings: servings

Author: Renée ♥︎ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar Use 1/3 cup if you like your Soda Bread a little less sweet.
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 ½ cups raisins I use a mix of golden and craisions. Just use your favorite raisin.
2 teaspoons caraway seeds Optional. (Not really.)
1¼ cups buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter melted (I use salted butter.)
2 eggs lightly beaten

Brush on Top

2 Tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cast iron skillet or 9-inch round baking pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and caraway seeds.
In a medium bowl, buttermilk and sour cream and melted butter. Blend in eggs.
Fold the flour mixture into the liquid mixture, mixing just until well combined. Knead dough in bowl about 10 to 15 strokes. Dough will be very sticky. Mound the dough in the prepared skillet or pan using a spatula or wooden spoon. (Don’t use a mixture for this – it will bake up too heavy.)
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbls. melted butter with 2 Tbls. buttermilk; brush the mounded dough/loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp, wet knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.
Allow dough to rest in the pan for about 20 minutes before putting into oven. (This step is optional, but the “rest” time will give you a lighter loaf in the end.)
Bake preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes. You can brush the loaf with the buttermilk/butter mixture once or twice during baking if you wish. Test loaf for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center – it should come out clean.
Let cool and turn bread onto a wire rack.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin and Print this recipe!

More for St. Patrick’s Day from GHW

Irish Blessing {Free St Patrick’s Day Art Print}

Shepherd's Pie is classic comfort food. One bite of this time-tested family favorite will wrap you in a blanket as warm as a winter fire. It's just that good. {Recipe} | The Good Hearted Woman

Classic Shepherd’s Pie

St Patrick's Day Emerald Sunrise | The Good Hearted Woman

Emerald Sunrise {Includes Kid-friendly Option}

Easy Basic Sweet Vanilla Crepes

December 1 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

If you’ve ever been intimidated by crêpes, try these Easy Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes and you’ll wonder why you ever worried.

If you can make a pancakes, you can make crêpes. Before you get started though, here are a few tips that will make the process even easier.

Crêpe Batter

Crêpe batter should be thinner and smoother than pancake batter – just thick enough to thoroughly coat a wooden spoon. If your batter seems too thick when you take it out of the refrigerator, add additional milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Crêpe batter can be made the night before and left in the refrigerator until you are ready to make them.
When pouring crepe batter into the pan, I pour with my my left hand and simultaneously swirl the the pan with my right hand. (I’m mostly right-handed.) The batter sets up very quickly, and this allows me to distribute it around the pan before it sets.

Flipping Crêpes

Crêpes are ready to flip when the edges start showing the slightest color brown and the center is no longer glossy.
I don’t actually use a spatula to “flip” my crêpes. Instead, I use the spatula to gently lift the edge up enough so that I can get hold of it, and then I flip it quickly using my fingers. I cannot, however, encourage you to do this because it may lead to burnt fingers, and I will not be responsible for that. So whatever you do, don’t flip your crêpes with your fingers. 😉

Filling Crêpes

The are two basic methods for filling crêpes: the Roll and the Quarter-fold (or Cone). For most applications, I personally prefer the Roll method, but that’s just me. However, the Quarter-fold method makes a better presentation for unfilled crepes that just have toppings.

Serving Crêpes

Sweet Vanilla Crêpes can be served plain with just a dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkle of lemon juice, or filled with your favorite sweet filling.
I prefer to serve my crepes with the second side out: I think it is more interesting to look at. Nevertheless, this is in direct conflict with common practice, which is to hide the second side. It’s all just a matter of personal taste as far as I’m concerned, but I thought you should know… just in case you are planning to host a group of snooty French gastronomes for brunch, because then you will probably want to put the browned, first side out.

5 from 2 votes

Basic Sweet Vanilla Crêpes {Recipe}

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Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups milk* see note
3 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour sifted
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Simple fillings or toppings for sweet crêpes include:

A dusting of powdered sugar and a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice
Fresh fruit
Whipped cream
Jam or jelly

Instructions

Put all the ingredients - the milk, eggs, vanilla, flour, sugar, salt and melted butter - in a blender and blend until smooth.
Allow crepe mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.

To Prepare Crêpes:

Heat a crêpe pan (or an 8- or 9-inch non-stick sauté pan) over medium-low heat. It is important to find the right temperature for crêpes. They are not supposed to be all brown and crispy. Start your pan on medium low and work from there.
If you are worried about your crêpes sticking, rub a little coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil over the surface with a paper towel. Remove any visible oil before proceeding.
Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup crêpe batter into the middle of the heated pan. Immediately swirl it around to create a thin flat crepe that reaches just slightly up the sides of the pan. I usually lift it off the burner for this step: it makes it much easier to manipulate the pan.
The crêpe is ready to flip when the edges are just beginning to turn brown and the batter in the middle is no longer glossy or wet looking.
Using a large, thin spatula, flip the crepe and cook another 15-20 seconds.
If you are making another crêpe, don’t let the pan set empty on the burner for more than a few seconds or it will get too hot.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

“Hey, Renée! That’s a pretty groovy little crepe pan you have there! Where’d you get it?”

Well, yes it is, and thank you for asking! I received this sweet crepe pan as a gift from Anolon, for attending a class they sponsored at IFBC 2015 called “How to Create Standout Holiday Content.” Besides being the perfect size and shape to create beautiful crepes, it has a hard-anodized PFOA-free non-stick coating that is (drum-roll, please) safe for Metal Utensils and guaranteed for life. So cool. So far, I am loving it.

Nana’s Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

September 30 By Renée ♥ 12 Comments

Perfect for the autumn holidays, this Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread will fill your home with the scent of the season, and your tummy with delicious goodness.

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By the time Thanksgiving rolled around last year, I swore I’d never read, make, post, or eat another “Pumkin+anything” recipe as long as I lived!

And yet, here we are. Why? Because a year has passed, and like bad breakups and childbirth, time has a way of softening the sharp edges of our memories.

I’m one of those bakers who is always fiddling and tweaking my recipes, so of course I made a few changes to my old standard recipe this time too – most notably the substitution of coconut oil for butter. Wow, what a difference that made!

All those sweet spices danced across my tongue with whole new level of rich, gingerbready goodness! Just to make sure it wasn’t just my imagination, I made two more batches of Pumpkin Gingerbread (all for you, my friends), with equally delicious results. In fact, when I shared it with the family, my mother-in-law Carol even told me I was (and I am quoting her word-for-word here), “A damn good cook.” That’s high praise indeed!

5 from 4 votes

Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

This easy-to-make Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread is moist, delicious, full of warm spices.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 35 mins

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Course: Quick Bread

Keyword: gingerbread, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, quick bread

Servings: slices

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman