Alright, let’s get this straight, I ain’t no fancy cook, ya hear? But I can whip up a mean banana cornbread, that’s for sure. It ain’t rocket science, just good ol’ home cooking.
First things first, you gotta get your stuff together. Don’t go running around like a headless chicken later. We need flour, yeah, the white stuff. And cornmeal, the yellow kind, not that gritty stuff they feed the hogs. Then milk, the regular kind, not that fancy almond stuff. Bananas, gotta be ripe, almost too ripe, you know, the kind you’d throw away otherwise. Sugar, just a bit, we ain’t makin’ candy here. And some oil, the kind you fry your eggs in. Oh, and that bakin’ powder stuff, makes it all fluffy.
- Flour
- Cornmeal
- Milk
- Ripe Bananas
- Sugar
- Vegetable Oil
- Baking Powder
Now, get yourself a big bowl, a real big one, like the one you use to wash your clothes in. Mash up them bananas real good, like you’re stompin’ on grapes. Then dump in the melted butter, if you got some. If not, oil works just fine. A bit of that sour cream stuff, makes it all moist, ya know. And crack in some eggs, two or three, depends on how big your bowl is.
Mix it all up good, but don’t go crazy. You ain’t churnin’ butter, just gettin’ it all mixed together. If you mix it too much, it gets all tough and chewy, like an old boot. We want it soft and tender, like a baby’s bottom.
Then you dump in the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and that bakin’ powder. Mix it all up again, just till it’s all wet, don’t overdo it, I told ya! Should look kinda lumpy, that’s alright.
Now, get yourself a pan. A square one, a round one, doesn’t matter. Grease it up good with some oil or butter, so it don’t stick. Pour that batter in there, spread it out even.
Stick it in the oven. Now, my oven, she don’t have no fancy numbers. I just crank it up to medium-high, you know, not too hot, not too cold. About 350 degrees if you got one of them newfangled ovens. Bake it for, oh, I dunno, 30, 40 minutes? Till it’s golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Golden brown and a clean toothpick! That’s how you know it’s done.
Now, some folks like their cornbread sweet, some like it savory. Me? I like it both ways. If you want it sweet, you can add some more sugar, maybe some honey or syrup when it’s done. If you want it savory, you can throw in some cheese, or some chopped up veggies, like onions or peppers. I’ve even thrown in some leftover bacon grease before, gives it a nice smoky flavor.
You know, some folks, they put too many eggs in their bread. Makes it all heavy and spongy, like a wet dishrag. You don’t want that. Just a couple of eggs is all you need.
And that cornmeal, that’s the key to good cornbread. Down south, we like our cornbread mostly cornmeal, not too much flour. Up north, they put too much flour in it, makes it all cakey. That ain’t real cornbread, that’s just yellow cake, if you ask me.
Now, when it’s done, let it cool for a bit before you cut into it. If you cut it too soon, it’ll all fall apart. And that’s just a waste of good food.
Serve it up warm, with a pat of butter, maybe some jam if you’re feeling fancy. Or just eat it plain, it’s good all by itself. Goes great with a glass of milk, or a cup of coffee.
So there you have it. My banana cornbread recipe. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good and filling, and it’ll stick to your ribs. Just like a good home-cooked meal should. Now, get in that kitchen and start bakin’!