Crawfish Cornbread

I'm not as good a cook as I used to be when Dave was little, back when we fried half the things we ate and put real butter or tons of sugar in everything else, but I do have a few favorite recipes like this one. Jim's cousin asked for it on the 4th; actually, I haven't served it to many people who didn't ask for the recipe. I got it off a TV show called Good Morning Ark-La-Miss when we lived in Louisiana. We learned to love the food down there! Those folks know how to cook, and eating is always a celebration.

Crawfish Cornbread

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

6 whole eggs

1 cup sliced jalapeno peppers

1 cup chopped bell peppers

2 medium onions

16 oz. grated cheddar cheese

2/3 cup oil

2 large cans cream style corn

2 lbs. crawfish tails

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, beat eggs thoroughly. Add other ingredients to eggs. Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir well.

Bake in a 12x14 inch, well greased pan for 55 minutes at 375 degrees or until top is brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I always half the recipe and bake it in a pre-heated iron skillet. This cuts the cooking time to around 30-45 minutes, and we like how the sides come out crusty. This makes about 8 hefty servings, and it's one of those foods that's just as good warmed over for supper the next night. I use low fat shredded cheese. You can buy frozen crawfish tails (already shelled) in most supermarkets. Let them thaw, and I like to rinse mine and let them sit in a sieve in the sink to drain. We're not very spicy people, so I usually leave out the jalapeno peppers. If you try to take the bread out of the pan as soon as it comes from the oven, it will most likely tear to pieces, but I let mine sit for about 20 minutes, and then it pops right out onto a plate. It's wonderful with Red Beans & Rice. If you've never made them, here's how I make 'em.

Red Beans & Rice

I soak the beans for 24 hours in cool water. I have a friend, named Barbara Dee Deville, who's an honest-to-God-Cajun, who soaks hers for a week, changing the water daily. Place them into a pot with fresh water, a diced onion and a couple of bay leaves. You can add diced ham, and that's what I use these days, but if you happen to run across some Tasso, that's even better. Season with oil and Cajun Spice Mix, or make up your own with these spices: salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder. Let 'em boil and enjoy.