Monday Eats - Army Survival and Popovers

Popovers, Homemade Croissants, Waffles, and Pancakes are a favorite breakfast on the weekend and I'm constantly experimenting with the recipes. We like popovers so much I splurged and got a popover pan from William and Sonoma which makes them even better!

I finally got the Popovers almost perfect, yet decided to mess with them again.  What about adding cornmeal, for a crunchier, corny texture, but still keeping the custardy, delicate bread like interior?

It took several baking runs, just making 2 or 3 popovers at a time.  Too little cornmeal, they tasted like regular ones (which is still good).  Too much, they were a corn muffin on steroids, not a popover (anyone need a boat anchor?)

PERFECT

It was tall,  full of eggy floury buttery goodness in the middle but with a decided cornmeal/corn bread like snap to the top, like the best part of the edges of cornbread.

I tried them out on my husband. He had his head buried in a 1991 Army Survival Tips ("you know, most women have a copy of "Twilight" on their nightstand) when the popovers came out of the oven.

He tore into one and of course there is the expected female query.

Me:  "what do you think?"

Husband: (long pause as he finishes it)  "Well it IS better than what's in the Army book".

Me (picking up book)  ". . . the lizard meat is done when the skin bubbles and cracks."

He grinned and quickly polished off the remainder, making me promise to write down the recipe.

So ladies, for a man pleasing bread that's better than lizard on a stick, try Abby's Mom's Corn Popovers (makes 3 popovers, to double the recipe use the amounts in the parenthesis).

1/2  cup milk plus two Tablespoons, at room temperature  (1 and 1/4 cup)
2 eggs at room temperature (4 regular eggs)
1/2  tsp wild honey (1 tsp)
1/2 cup fresh flour MINUS 2 Tablespoons  (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup cornmeal   (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt (1/2 tsp)

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons butter  (3 Tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 450 and place un-greased popover pan inside.

Mix flour, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl.

Whisk milk egg and honey in small bowl.

Nuke butter until it's melted.

Whisk liquid into flour, JUST until combined (there will be lumps).

The oven should be about preheated now, remove the pan, pour in butter into 3 TINS  (for the smaller serving recipe) and swirl around.  Spray top of tin and RIM with nonstick spray and immediately pour batter equally into the three tins. (it works better if you pour a little water into the empty tins).

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes. WITHOUT OPENING OVEN
Lower Heat to 350 and bake for 20 minutes more.

Eat immediately!  (like that's a problem).  These would be really good at dinner with chili or stew.

For an easier and just as tasty version (which bakes up quite crisp on top but not quite as high), cook at 375 F for 30 minutes.