Originally posted on March 14, 2006.

I have always loved corn bread, and recently watched Emeril^™ make it a little different on his TV show.. He used jalapeño pepper in it, BAM! I knew I had to try this.

He doesn’t usually give a lot of measurements and all that, so I modified a couple of other recipes. Then I added in the jalapeño pepper, the whole reason for doing this.

Basic Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° (use an oven thermometer!)
2. Combine dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, corn meal, baking powder, salt and sugar).
3. Mix together milk and egg, and add to dry ingredients.
4. Add oil (or shortening) and mix well.
5. Chop jalapeño pepper and mix into batter.
6. Place in well seasoned cast iron skillet, and into preheated oven.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cool for a while on a cooling rack.

Now onto the pictures for the rest! Yay.

Our basic ingredients are some corn meal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, an egg, vegetable oil and a jalapeño.

Start by adding the salt, sugar and baking soda to the all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl.

Note: The cute little shot glass measuring cup pictured above is available from Amazon.com for $3.50 and measures ounces, ml, teaspoons and tablespoons.

Then add in the corn meal.

Combine all the dry ingredients together with a whisk, or fork if you don’t have a whisk.

Measure the milk in a measuring cup. Then crack and egg and add it to the milk.

Note: You can beat the egg in a separate bowl, but less dishes to clean is a happy thing for a bachelor!

Add the milk and egg mixture to the dry ingredients.

Mix the whole thing together well.

Add in the vegetable oil (vegetable shortening is also an option here) and mix well again.

Chop up a jalapeño pepper and mix it into the batter. (Although optional, definitely add a jalapeño!)

Note: Most of the “heat” is in the seeds and the white spine inside the jalapeño. If you want more heat leave the white inner spine and even some of the seeds if you want, if not just scrape them out (weenie).

Add the mix into a well seasoned cast iron skillet and bake at 450° for 15 minutes.

Note: You can also bake your corn bread in a normal 8 or 9 inch glass or metal pan if you don’t have a cast iron skillet. But they’re cheap, so pick one up!

Also use an oven thermometer! My oven’s dial was set to 425° but the actual temp on the thermometer was the correct 450°!

You will know it’s done when the top starts to get a little golden and a toothpick or knife comes out clean when you stick it.

You can let it cool in the pan, or remove it to cool on a rack if you want. But allow it to cool a little while before cutting into it. And be careful of the hot skillet!

Originally posted on February 26, 2006.

I have always wanted to try my hand at making homemade fried chicken, and this was my first attempt. After checking out numerous other recipes and tips I bought the stuff and gave it a try. I think it will take some more practice to make it like the Colonel, but it turned out ok for a first attempt. I also wanted to note that the cost goes down as you make more chicken, since the buck and a half worth of shortening could have made a ton more.

Basic Instructions:

1. Soak chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight, I just add some buttermilk to the zip lock freezer bag it’s in and leave it in the fridge overnight.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
3. Dredge chicken pieces (legs, thighs or wings) through flour mixture.
4. Melt Crisco^® shortening and heat to 360° (use a deep-fry thermometer)
5. Gently place chicken pieces in heated oil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Turn pieces and continue cooking for another 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove and drain on a cooling rack or some paper towels.

Now onto the pictures for the rest! Good stuff..

Here are our basic ingredients. Some chicken pieces that have been soaked in buttermilk (6 to 24 hours is good), flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and Crisco^® shortening.

Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper (optional) to the flour and whisk together well.

Dredge the chicken pieces through the flour mixture and coat thoroughly.. When I was done I set them in the fridge to rest for a bit while I got the cooking oil going.

I melted about 1/3 (16 oz) of a 48 oz tub of Crisco^® shortening and then heated it up to about 360°.

Note: When working with hot oil or shortening always make sure your fire extinguisher is charged up and nearby. And in the unlikely event you ever do have a grease fire never throw water on it!

Gently ease the chicken pieces into the hot shortening using a pair of tongs so there’s no splashing.

Cook the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes.

Carefully turn chicken pieces with your tongs.

Cook chicken another 8 to 10 minutes on the other side.

Remove the chicken pieces and drain on a rack or some paper towels.
Although mine didn’t come out looking as good as a southern grandma’s fried chicken it tasted good! I think I might try to fry some in my cast iron skillet next time, I’ve seen a few suggest doing that online.