I hope your new year is starting off well.  Today I am going to share some of my family recipes.  Some of my favorite family recipes are listed below.  I will add notes at the bottom of each recipe. You will soon learn that I eyeball a lot of my portions and don't always have exact cooking times or amounts.  I encourage readers to play with their food and see what works best for you.  I have a gas oven so often I have to cook at a little lower temperature than the recipe calls for.  Some of the recipes are my creations.  Some are recipes handed down and I've tweaked a little.  I will give credit when I know where the recipes come from. 

Cornbread

Recipe

Ingredients needed:

• Small well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
• About 1/2 cup vegetable oil  (Note, some prefer bacon grease, but the vegetable oil is more healthy)
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup self-rising flour
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or mayonaise
• About 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg 

In a small bowl, mix the cornmeal & flour with the sugar and salt. Next, add the egg the yogurt or mayo and the milk and mix well. Set aside.  Put the vegetable oil in the skillet and heat on medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles in the skillet.  Turn off stove and carefully pour the heated oil into the meal and flour mixture.  Mix well until oil is incorporated.  Pour the mixture back into the cast-iron skillet and place in a 400 degree oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Check about 3/4ths of the way through cooking time.  It will be ready when brown on the top and set in the center.  Turn out on a plate and add butter to the top.  This will serve about 6 people. 

Here is another variation on the cornbread.

Black-eye Pea Cornbread

This is how it looks before baking.

Use the same ingredients as above, but add 1 can of black-eye peas undrained.  When I make this variation, I use a little less milk because of the juice in the can of peas.  The pan will be more full than with the normal recipe.  In the cornbread above, I added a few finely chopped cracklings and just a pinch of red pepper flakes. (Note, a few chopped green chilies would also be good in this recipe)  Normally I leave the last 2 ingredients out, but wanted to try something a little different.  It was well received.  This version needs to bake at about 375 degrees and will take a little longer to set in the middle.  Check at about 30 minutes and if not done in the middle, continue to bake a bit longer. 

Finished Product

 The original recipe for the black-eye cornbread came from a cooking show I saw years ago on PBS.  I think the name was The Southern Woman Cooks, but not sure of the exact name.  I have changed some of 

the ingredients just a bit. 

(Note, to keep your cast-iron skillet seasoned, do not wash with soap or put in dishwasher.  Also, do not let your husband cook eggs in it on high heat or let him wash it because he will probably use soap and you will have to re-season it!)  Lol, I'm just kidding Mike. 

The next recipe is for collards.  

Collard Greens

 This is a very simple recipe with 5 ingredients.

Ingredients

• Large Dutch Oven

• 2 to 4 lbs. chopped collards with most of the stems removed.  (Note, I use the bagged collards when not in season). Wash and drain the greens and place in the Dutch Oven.  Don't worry if they won't all fit at once, collards cook down quickly and you will have room to add more.  
• For 2 or less lbs. of greens use 1 chicken bouillon cube.  For 4 or more lbs. use 2 cubes.  
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium onion (white or sweet, preference is up to you) sliced very thin.
• 1/2 tsp. sugar

Bring greens to a boil over medium high heat.  Add onions, water, sugar and bouillon.  You will not need to salt because the bouillon has salt in it.  Stir with a wooden spoon and add more greens as they cook down.  Cover and turn down heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Misnomer...collards don't have to cook for hours.  Test for tenderness with a fork at 45 minutes.  If still not tender, cook a bit longer.  You may add more water as needed, but do not cover greens with water.  They are better with less liquid.  These greens will have a very meaty taste.  This recipe came from the same cooking show I saw years ago on PBS. 

 Finished product.

(Note, some people like pepper sauce or pickled pepper sauce on their collards, but I am a purist. )

Let me know how these recipes turn out for you.  Remember, play with your food!