Dawson’s Cowboy CorneyBread as featured in fall 2020 edition of KANSAS! Magazine

Geff and Dawn Dawson’s Chuckwagon cooking was featured in the fall 2020 Taste section of KANSAS! Magazine. It’s a recipe that Dawn makes in their chuckwagon and bakes over a wood fire in a camp Dutch oven. But, she did provide directions for making this over-the-top cornbread in the oven, too.

This is what she said about the recipe . . .A perennial favorite for ranch hands and dudes alike, Dawn explains, “There are a lot of takes on cornbread out there but this is ours that is really tasty when baked in a Dutch oven.” She uses eggs from their hen house to make this quick bread. 

Fall 2020 issue of KANSAS! Magazine, vol. 76, issue 3
Kansasmag.com
The magazine story details the Dawson's cowboy and chuckwagon adventures and also includes their recipe for Chunky Beef Stew.

Besides cooking, Geff and Dawn entertain, rebuild chuckwagons and so much more. Find out more this multi-talented couple at their website @ 2 Bar D Ranch

Dawson’s Cowboy CorneyBread

2 (8.5 oz.) boxes Jiffy® Cornbread Mix

4 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter 

1 cup sour cream

1 (14.75 oz) can creamed corn

1 (7 oz.) can Mexicorn, drained

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, or more

1 teaspoon salt

1. Line a camp Dutch oven with a Dutch oven liner or aluminum foil. (A camp Dutch oven has legs and a flanged lid.)
2. Mix all ingredients together and place in prepared camp Dutch oven. (I added ours to a greased baking dish and baked in the oven as explained in step #3).
   
   
   
   
3. Arrange coals on top and bottom of camp Dutch oven and bake at 350 degrees or until cooked through. Batter may also be added to a greased casserole dish (about 13” x 9” capacity) and baked in the oven at the same temperature and about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

One of Geff and Dawn's wagons - find out more at their website @ 2 Bar D Ranch 

Recipe without photos . . .

Dawson’s Cowboy CorneyBread

2 (8.5 oz.) boxes Jiffy® Cornbread Mix

4 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter 

1 cup sour cream

1 (14.75 oz) can creamed corn

1 (7 oz.) can Mexicorn, drained

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese, or more

1 teaspoon salt

1. Line a camp Dutch oven with a Dutch oven liner or aluminum foil. (A camp Dutch oven has legs and a flanged lid.)
2. Mix all ingredients together and place in prepared camp Dutch oven.
3. Arrange coals on top and bottom of camp Dutch oven and bake at 350 degrees or until cooked through. Batter may also be added to a greased casserole dish (about 13” x 9” capacity) and baked in the oven at the same temperature and about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Revised Cornbread Salad – fat reduced & deconstructed

It took us a long time to try Cornbread Salad but when we did we were definitely fans. However, these days we need a fat and cholesterol reduced version! 

The solution -- create a deconstructed salad and get rid of the sour cream, mayonnaise and bacon!

The recipe is flexible -- add as much or as little of any of the following ingredients . . .

Revised Cornbread Salad – fat reduced & deconstructed 

Prepared cornbread 

Romaine lettuce, torn or cut into bite-size pieces

Jalapeño or pepperoncini peppers, diced (or whole for garnish)

Diced green or red pepper

Pinto or black beans, drained

Frozen corn, thawed & cooked

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

Diced onions

Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Strips of Smoked Turkey

Reduced fat Ranch dressing

1. Dice cornbread and toast in oven to make crisp but tender croutons.
   
2. Arrange lettuce on plate.
3. Add as much of any or all ingredients – peppers, beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, turkey.
   
4. Drizzle with salad dressing.
5. Top with cornbread croutons.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Revised Cornbread Salad – fat reduced & deconstructed 

Prepared cornbread 

Romaine lettuce, torn or cut into bite-size pieces 

Jalapeño or pepperoncini peppers, diced (or whole for garnish)

Diced green or red pepper

Pinto or black beans, drained

Frozen corn, thawed & cooked

Diced onions

Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Strips of Smoked Turkey

Reduced fat Ranch dressing

1. Dice cornbread and toast in oven to make crisp but tender croutons.
2. Arrange lettuce on plate.
3. Add as much of any or all ingredients – peppers, beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, turkey.
4. Drizzle with salad dressing.
5. Top with cornbread croutons.

Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

Another different way to use an excess of zucchini. It's somewhere between a quick bread and a casserole -- serve it as a side dish or as a bread. Good for breakfast, too.

Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

3 cups shredded zucchini

1 onion, thinly sliced and diced

2 eggs, beaten

1 pkg. (8.5 oz) Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

12 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz. reserved for top)      

1. Spray a 9x12”( 2-quart capacity) baking dish and preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except the 4 oz. of reserved cheese.
   
3.  Evenly spread into casserole dish and top with reserved cheese. Top with remaining 4 oz. of cheese. 
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
   

Recipe without photos . . .

Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

3 cups shredded zucchini, squeeze and drain

1 onion, thinly sliced and diced

2 eggs, beaten

1 pkg. (8.5 oz) Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

12 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz. reserved for top)      

1. Spray a 9x12”( 2-quart capacity) baking dish and preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except the 4 oz. of reserved cheese. Evenly spread into casserole dish and top with reserved cheese. 
3. Top with remaining 4 oz. of cheese.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Susan’s Cornbread Salad

     Cornbread salad must be southern cook’s take on classic Italian bread salad. I must admit that the term “bread salad” used to conjure up visions of soggy bread floating in a sea of dressing and so I turned up my nose at the idea. Even at that, I was always intrigued with the idea of cornbread salad but not brave enough to give it a try. Then a couple of years ago we sampled it at a salad supper in Durham, Ks. We both went back for second helpings!

     Bread salads were typically a way to use up day old breads and I imagine that each cook had her/his own spin on the other ingredients that went into the mix.    

     When I interview Susan Taylor last December for my monthly cooking column in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle, she offered up her own take on the salad. She uses black beans (rather than pinto or red), mixes the beans and corn with the dressing and adds a few jalapeños for a little kick.

Susan often takes this salad to “carry-ins,” including funeral dinners. She also suggests using a glass bowl to assemble the salad so everyone can admire the layers of this pretty and very tasty salad. Here’s her recipe as it appeared in my column:

Susan’s Cornbread Salad

1 (6 oz.) pkg. cornbread mix (I used an 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy corn muffin mix*)

1 regular (1 oz.) pkg. dry ranch dressing mix or 3 Tbsp. of bulk mix

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream 

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon jarred jalapeño peppers, which are already diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained (or substitute pinto beans)

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup sliced green onions

1 cup chopped green pepper

2 large tomatoes, chopped (cherry or grape tomatoes work well, too)

1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled

10 oz. of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Prepare cornbread as directed on package; cool.

2. Combine salad dressing mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and jalapeños.

3. Add the beans, corn, green onions, and green pepper to the dressing; mix thoroughly.

4. Crumble half of the cornbread into a large bowl. Top with half of dressing mixture, and then layer tomatoes, bacon, and cheese. Repeat layers.

5.     Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving. Keeps well.

*7 Reasons This Muffin Mix Can Save America — After reading this article, I went to the store and brought Jiffy cornbread mixes!

Recipe without photos . . .

Susan’s Cornbread Salad

1 (6 oz.) pkg. cornbread mix (I used an 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy corn muffin mix*)

1 regular (1 oz.) pkg. dry ranch dressing mix or 3 Tbsp. of bulk mix

1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon jarred jalapeño peppers, which are already diced

1 (14.5 oz.) can black beans, drained  (or substitute pinto beans)

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup sliced green onions

1 cup chopped green pepper

2 large tomatoes, chopped (cherry or grape tomatoes work well, too)

1 lb. bacon, cooked & crumbled

10 oz. of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Prepare cornbread as directed on package; cool.

2. Combine salad dressing mix, sour cream, mayonnaise and jalapeños.

3. Add the beans, corn, green onions, and green pepper to the dressing; mix thoroughly.

4. Crumble half of the cornbread into a large bowl. Top with half of dressing mixture, and then layer tomatoes, bacon, and cheese. Repeat layers.

5. Cover and refrigerate for two hours before serving. Keeps well.

Ready in a “JIFFY” — Corn Muffins or Cornbread

     This is the cornbread/muffin recipe my mom swears by and mothers are never wrong! Normally I do not use boxed mixes or if I do, I make them from scratch (see our tab – Mixes and More), but this is an exception. The resulting product in sweet and tender yet doesn’t crumble when eaten.

     Mom used Jiffy® mixes when I was growing up so I got to wondering how long they’d been around. Of course, I found what I wanted to know on the company’s webpage. Jiffy® mixes are produced by the Chelsea Milling Company of Chelsea, Mi. The mill is operated by the Holmes family whose roots in the flour milling business date back to the early 1800’s; they’ve been milling flour for over 120 years. And, according to the site, Mabel White Holmes, grandmother of current President, Howdy S. Holmes, developed and introduced the first prepared baking mix product, “JIFFY” Baking Mix, in the spring of 1930.

Ingredients are assembled.

Jiffy® Corn Muffins or Cornbread   Makes 4 doz, mini muffins, 1 ½ to 2 doz. standard-sized muffins or an 8”x8” pan of cornbread

1 (9 oz.) box Jiffy® cornbread mix

1 (9 oz.) box Jiffy® yellow cake mix

½ cup water

½ cup milk

2 eggs

¼ cup oil (1 used canola)

Optional – chopped jalapeño peppers

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine all ingredients and mix by hand just until combined (overmixing may result in tunnels in the interior of muffins or bread).

Stir just until wet & dry ingredients are combined -- the batter will be slightly lumpy.

3. Spray muffin tins or 8”x8” pan with pan release (such as Pam®).

Spray both the sides and bottoms of the muffin tin depressions.

4.     Muffins – fill muffin tins ½ to ¾ full (I used a scoop to transfer batter). Cornbread – pour batter into prepared pan.

I topped half of the muffins with chopped jalapeño peppers.

5. Place in the middle of preheated oven and bake: Mini muffins – 10 min. @ 400°; standard-sized muffing – 15 to 20 min. @ 400°; cornbread – bake 5 minutes @ 400°, then 20 to 25 minutes @ 350°.

6. Remove to cooling rack. For muffins – turn pan over so muffins can slide out (if needed, run a knife around the edge of individual muffin tins. Let cornbread baked in pan cool slightly and then cut into squares.