Hot Water Cornbread

Instructions

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   let me hear the end of it!--Caj Ingredients: 3 cups white cornmeal 1/3 cup milk 1/3 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 pinch black pepper 2 cups boiling water 1/2 cup cooking oil 1. Boil water in small pot. 2. Mix meal, salt, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl. 3. Add milk and mix thoroughly. 4. Add oil, sprinkle pepper, and mix thoroughly. 5. Slowly stir in boiling water, a little at a time. You want it the consistency of a thick pancake batter. 6. Heat 1/4 cup cooking oil in cast iron skillet (medium-high heat). 7. Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot grease for each piece of bread. 8. Fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side (or until golden brown).

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   9. Drain on paper towels. 10. Serve hot. . .topped with butter. Goes great with nearly everything, and even works as a snack. And finally, from Farmer John we have: Hey Caj, listen up! Before your good Chief Cooks go scrambling down the trail through my recipes, they better pay strict attention to this WARNING: I like my food spicy, real spicy. So that being the case, and since this fact is reflected in my recipes, I'd suggest they go easy on the spices I use. Do a taste test, then add if desired. You can always add more, but it's pretty hard to get back an over- do. "Thanks for the warning, Farmer John, always knew you were different, were one-of-a-kind. What's that? You're not finished? Well, excuse me, Farmer J. The floor is yours!" You've been playin' around out in cyberspace too long, Caj. Every thing is rush, rush, rush. Click, click, click. Relax and pay 'tench. Before we continue, which means before you get too far into my favorite foods, another explanation is in order. Whether I'm cookin' raccoon ("coon") or opossum ("possum") certain basics apply. Everything I know about skinnin', cleanin' and fixin' I learned while growin' up. In this part of the country, when you live in the "real" country, huntin' is a part of life. But I was taught, as many of us were, to only hunt those birds or mammals that are good for food. Or to put it another way, ya don't kill somethin' just to kill it. And before you ask, this is the same trainin' we're givin' our kids today. Now, if you happen to be given one of these potential feasts, you better hope the person giving it to you knew how to clean it, and did so. If not, you'll be spending some time skinnin', gettin' rid of glands, entrails and all that good stuff. Once you have this chore finished, you can get to cookin' it. Most nearly all us "connoisseurs" use a lot of spices in our marinades, then again we season to taste during or after the cookin's done. We also know that the older--many times the bigger--the game, the longer ya got to marinate it. Once marinated, and usually the next day, I'll boil a raccoon or opossum down. Cover it with water, simmer it for a couple hours. This little trick reduces the fat, and give you some good meat for the next step: roasting, broiling, smoking or barbecuing. That's right, you parboil (your fancy word), the finish cooking by whatever method strikes your fancy.

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   Squirrels and rabbits can be marinated, but it's not really that necessary; especially if ya got a case of the hongrys. I usually turn these delights into a stew, gumbo or fry 'em. Dang, I'm gettin' hongry. I'm outta here, Caj. "Thanks, Farmer J. Well, there you have it. Bon Appetit!" Caj.