Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

[Adron]

Here I go again, trying to make something I could just as easily buy.... I am looking for a recipe for "Jiffy Corn Muffin mix".

I know it is cheap in the box, I would just like to make my own.
Any suggestions?

[Bird]

I'm not sure what you're looking for. Are you trying to duplicate the Jiffy brand, or are you just tryng to make cornbread muffins without a ready made mix? Lots of cornbread recipes can be found in many cookbooks and on the Internet, but the Jiffy is good enough that my wife uses it just about exclusively now; just a tiny bit quicker and easier than mixing a little corn meal, a little flour, baking powder, milk, and eggs. Some add a spoonful of sugar, some don't. And when we made our own, the last thing stirred into the batter was just a little hot vegetable oil or shortening. In my opinion, the ratio of flour to cornmeal and whether or not sugar is used are the two things that make the biggest differences in cornbread.

[Adron]

I guess you could say that I am trying to get close to the Jiffy brand. I use it quite a lot, and usually have several on hand. However, just the other day I went to get a box, and the cupboard was bare. 20 miles to the nearest stop light, and gas at $2.09, I tried to make my own with less than sterling success. Kinda looking for a backup if it should happen again.

Yes, I add a little bit of sugar, but not too much. Don't want it to taste like a yellow cake.

1 box of Jiffy made per directions, 8" cast iron skillet...Mighty fine eatin!

[Bird]

We alternate between the cast iron skillet and the muffin pan. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

I think you'll be very close to the Jiffy recipe if you simply mix:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or even slightly less)
1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

Bake as usual in a greased skillet or muffin pan 400 to 425 degrees about 20 minutes, give or take a couple. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Bird, That'l get 'er done but I like to add chopped jalepenos, minced onions, whole canned corn, ground New Mexico Chilis, and sometimes a bit of chili powder.

Dang, all this cormbread talk and I'll have to make some for supper!

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Bird]

You almost got it, Pat. I prefer the cream style corn in the cornbread to the whole kernel corn. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

And when I was a kid and we killed a hog and rendered the lard, the leftover "cracklin's" went into cornbread, too.

And baking sausage into the cornbread (we prefer the little smokies) and serving it with a good milk gravy on top ain't bad, either.

[robertn]

The best corn bread I have had. I cooked it in a Dutch Oven over coals, but it could be done in the oven. I have made this as eatin cornbread, but I have also served it as a desert with sliced strawberries and whipped cream...

Byron's Best ever cornbread

[Bird]

That does sound good, Robert. I guess you're supposed to throw out and "left over" cornbread for the birds, but there's never any to throw out around here. I don't believe I've ever tried it with strawberries and whipped cream, but I'll sure eat it crumbled up in a glass of milk, or just warm it up, butter it and pour syrup or honey on it for dessert.

[Pat]

Bird, Milk gravy? Wasn't familiar wth the term so I looked it up.

How to Make Milk Gravy
Milk gravy is the same as white sauce, except that white sauce is usually made with butter or margarine, while gravy is made with other fat. You can use the two interchangeably as long as the fat is pure and the flavor is mild. Use it as the base for cream soups and casseroles, as well as gravy to top biscuits. Add meat bits (beef or pork) to it for a main course over bread.
INGREDIENTS:

2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons fat
1 cup whole or reconstituted powdered milk
PREPARATION:

Melt the fat over medium heat, and sprinkle flour into it, stirring as you sprinkle. Cook while stirring until the mixture browns slightly, then add all at once, the cup of milk. Continue stirring briskly, until it returns to a boil and thickens. Makes about one cup.

Personally I like to brown some of the flour in the oil/fat but then as it can be hard to get all the lumps out I sometimes shake milk or water with more flour and add that to the pan. No lumps with this "Shaken not Stirred" approach (sorry James.) I prefer lean hamburger or sausage as the meat in the gravy but when I just have to have gravy and the best choices of meat are not handy I have used cut up hot dogs, balogna, finely chopped ham, or whatever.

I think I'll have cornbread tonight!

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Bird]

Yep, Pat, I've heard it called milk gravy, cream gravy, white gravy, and white sauce. Many variations are pretty good, but just a few things that I do personally. Those things are that I never use any water, I only use whole milk, and I always add a little salt and pepper.

Beyond that, well, I've tried a lot of things; most of which I've liked. I've used margarine or butter (not bad at all), but if we're frying any kind of meat, that's the oil used; bacon, sausage, hamburger, or even a little of the olive oil used to fry some meat in.

I've had plenty of experience making lumpy gravy, but not recently. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] If I don't want the flour partially browned, I've got a neat little blender that holds two cups of milk and the flour so they're thoroughly blended when poured into the pan. If I want the flour browned, then add the milk, stir briskly with a whisk or fork, and I stir it constantly until the desired thickness is achieved.

Now I said I never use water, but I do sometimes make a different kind of gravy, still using milk and flour, but also using broth and chopped giblets if we've cooked something like a turkey. And if you don't measure the liquid and find the gravy doesn't thicken enough, a teaspoonful of corn starch will work just fine without making lumps like trying to add flour will.

Cornbread tonight? Well, since I've had cornbread the last couple of nights, I decided on warm, buttered brat buns with my corned beef, cabbage, taters and carrots tonight.