A week, following a month of thankfulness. What a beautiful celebration and reminder of all we have. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. There is something so pure about a holiday that requires no gift buying, no heart shaped boxes of overpriced waxy chocolates, and no mascots with magical abilities. A holiday, completely stripped down, all about spending time with family and friends, and remembering all the ways we’ve been blessed.
And another really great thing about Thanksgiving? It’s officially the first weekend of the Christmas season. Yes, I just said that. Before Thanksgiving, I dared to mention Christmas. I can’t help it. I love putting up the Christmas tree and seeing the lights twinkle all over town.
Not that I really have to wait for after Thanksgiving for all of that. Asia is in love with Christmas, too. Living in Korea, I was completely shocked to see what massive displays of holiday tidings were set up shortly BEFORE HALLOWEEN. Christmas trees in coffee shops, and massive displays of lights down the center streets in shopping districts. In Korea, Christmas is celebrated as a Valentine’s Day of sorts- a sweetheart’s holiday, passed without much thought, besides the months of decorations and Christmas music beforehand.
And here in Kuala Lumpur, a country of mostly Muslims, I certainly wasn’t expecting Christmas displays. Wrong again. There have been Christmas trees up since October, and every mall in town will have Christmas displays, music, and gift wrapping stations set up throughout. Rivaled only by Chinese New Year, a holiday almost equal in commercialism to Christmas.
But I don’t mind. Bring it on. It reminds me of home.
I first made this cornbread a couple of weeks ago as the perfect accompaniment to my Crockpot Chicken Taco Chilli. Yum. Almost perfect. In fact, I thought it was perfect, but Alex felt it needed a bit more “grittiness.” I had made it with just masa harina, the only corn flour I had in the house. I searched high and low for a medium grind corn meal, and finally found some. More grit – check. Better? – it’s a draw. I’m in love with it both ways.
So, my suggestion? Unless you are really in to the “grit” of your cornbread, just make it with whatever corn meal you have!
- ¾ cup masa harina, or corn flour
- ¼ cup medium grind corn meal
- ½ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup arrowroot flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ cup almond milk (or sub other milk of choice)
- ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar (or other)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees f.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, add milk and vinegar. Set aside.
- Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
- In the bowl with the milk and vinegar, add the rest of the wet ingredients, and mix together well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until there are no more dry spots, without over mixing.
- The mixture will be very liquidy at first, but set it aside for 3 or 4 minutes and line a baking dish with baking paper or grease it with butter or olive oil.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes in an 8 x 8 or similar size baking dish.
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