Maple Nut Cornbread

Tonight we took our standard cornbread recipe and dressed it up a bit with nuts and some Maple flavoring.

No... not this Maple (our dog).  Even though she is awfully sweet.

What we came up with is a recipe that calls for Maple syrup (not basset hounds named Maple) and walnuts.

This experiment turned out pretty good.  However, it tasted more sweet and cake-like than cornbread like.  This would be a great side to some BBQ ribs or chicken or maybe served along side those baked beans we made just a couple days ago.

Anyway, give it a shot.

Maple Nut Cornbread

10" Dutch Oven
14 coals on top, 8 on bottom

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 beaten eggs

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 cup milk

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Place the tablespoon of butter in a 10 inch Dutch oven and heat it up until melted.  While waiting for your butter to melt, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and walnuts.  In a seperate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.  Once the butter is melted, pour the batter into the Dutch oven.  Don't stir! 

Cook with 14 coals on top and 8 coals on bottom, periodically rotating the lid and the base of the Dutch oven to prevent hot spots.  We baked this for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with a dab of butter  (okay, maybe Erin put more than a "dab" on hers) and some additional syrup drizzled on top.