5 Things to do with Jiffy Corn Bread

You know it. You love it. We all do. It's in nearly everybody's pantry. It's that wonderful old staple: Jiffy Corn Bread Mix. You can almost smell it now.



We all know about corn bread and corn muffins, but what else can we create with one of these boxes of wonder?

1. Corn Dogs. Who doesn't love a corn dog! Yum! I like to add honey to my batter, but that's me. Totally optional.

(10 – 12 Servings)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

2/3 cup flour

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 to 1-1/2 lbs hot dogs

2 tbsp honey (optional)

FRYING METHOD:

Preheat oil in deep fryer at 375 F. Set hot dogs aside.  Combine remaining ingredients thoroughly.  Pour into large drinking glass.  Dip hot dogs in batter one at a time.  Carefully place in deep fryer.  Fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and drain on paper towel.

BAKING METHOD:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a hot dog in the bowl of batter and swoosh it around to coat it. Remove coated dog to a nonstick cookie sheet and use your fingers to spread batter on any exposed dog spots. Don't coat it too thick, just shy of 1/2-inch should do the trick. If it's too thick it will just slide off the dog while it's baking, leaving the dog exposed. If that happens don't sweat it, they will still taste great. Repeat until all 8 are coated. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until evenly deep brown all over.

2. Chicken Pot Pie. Not your traditional pot pie. This is great for left over chickrn. You can also use frozen diced chicken or prepared chicken like Purdue Fresh Cuts. Great for left over rotisserie chicken. Easy one dish meal.

Ingredients:

Aprox. 2 cups diced chicken (a little over or under won't mater)

1 tsp ground sage

1 tsp ground rosemary

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Vegetable(s) of your choice (you can use leftovers, canned, frozen, fresh. Just temember, if frozen, cook first to get rid of excess water. If fresh, cook ahead to make sure they are cooked through)

Jarred gravy (probably 2 jars)

Corn Bread Topping:

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread mix

1/3 cup of milk

1 egg

2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp sage
2 tbsp honey

In large pie plate or casserole, combine chicken and vegetables. Add gravy, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper. Stir together. In a separate bowl, combine corn bread mix, milk, egg, rosemary, sage and honey. Mix until just combined. Mix will be lumpy. Do not over mix. Pour batter on top of chicken and gravy. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

Final cooking time will depend on the dish you used. You will need to make sure batter is cooked through and not wet on the inside. Cook until corn bread is very dark. Try lifting up corner of the bread and see if it's cooked through. If it just needs a teeny bit more, take casserole from oven, cover loosely with foil and let stand for 5 minutes.

3 Fiesta Bread. A change up from taco night. I suggest shallots because they are sweeter and not as strong as other onions, but you can use what ever kind of onion you like. Also, if you like it spicy, switch out the sweet peppers for a spicy variety.
* This is a mild version. If you want it spicy, double up the  seasonings.

Ingredients:

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

2 eggs

1/2 cups of milk

1/2 cup of salsa

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese

1 1/2 cups ground beef*

1/4 cup sweet peppers 

1/4 cup shallots

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp lime juice

* Seasonings for the beef

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cilantro

3 dashes Tobasco ( or more to taste)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

Brown ground beef in a skillet on stovetop with list of seasonings. Drain grease and set aside.

In a small skillet saute the sweet peppers and shallots until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. Add milk, eggs, lime juice, salsa, cheese, peppers and shallots. Gently mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Gently fold in ground beef. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking time may vary depending on casserole dish.

4. Corn Bread Stuffing. No need to wait until the holidays to have stuffing. It's pretty easy really and so many ways to change it up.

First thing you need is your bread. If you are making for 4 - 6 people, 1 box of mix will do. For more, or if you want left overs, use 2 boxes. This is for 1 box. Double if necessary.

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix

1/3 cup of milk

1 egg

2 tsp rosemary

2 tsp sage

1 tsp onion powder

2 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 400 F

mix ingredients until just combined. Batter will be lumpy. Do not over mix. Bake according to box directions.

Once bread is done, reduce oven to 350 F. Cool enough to handle. Cut to course chunks. Place bread on a cookie sheet and put in oven for 10 to 15 minutes until crispy like croutons.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1/8 cup finely chopped celery

1/8 cup finely chopped shallot

1/8 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

1/8 cup finely diced Granny Smith Apple

1/8 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp sage

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup plus of chicken broth*

Directions:

In small skillet, saute celery and shallot with the butter until translucent and soft.

In a small bowl, combine all seasonings. In another bowl, combine cranberries, apple and walnuts.

Place toasted bread in a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed celery and shallot. Sprinkle the dried seasonings all over the bread. Add the chicken broth. Take your time mixing, waiting for the liquid to get into the bread and soften it. Add more stock as needed.

* You can use beef or vegetable stock too. Use apple sauce as part of your liquid. Out of stock? Use what you've got. Try wine, juice or cider. Try beer, especially if you have a special ale, larger or IPA. Use a can of creamed corn to amp up the corn flavor and add moisture. Try different combinations to get different flavors.

Once you have stuffing to a satisfactory state, you can bake it in a casserole dish (375 F for about 25 - 30 min) or stuff into a whole chicken, into pork chops, inside chicken breasts or even individual serving dishes.

Variations:

Sweet sausage with apples and walnuts

Chestnuts with dried apricots and figs

Chicken pesto sausage with fresh grated asiago cheese and  chopped dates with pine nuts

Diced pears with chopped pistachios and dried cherries

Creamed corn with cheddar cheese and a baking apple, like Courtland or MacIntosh

Broccoli with cheddar cheese with craisins and sliced or slivered almonds

5. Hoecakes Also known as hotcakes or Johnny cakes. A notch up from pancakes, these are crispy and buttery and a nice change from the same old thing.

Ingredients:

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread mix

2 eggs

3/4 cup of milk

Combine ingredients until mostly smooth. Place a pat of butter in a skillet over medium heat. When melted, pour spoonfuls of batter to make cakes. Cook until bubbling around the edge. Flip and cook until other side is golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.