The secret to tender cornbread is to not over beat it! Mix your ingredients just to combine—small lumps are fine.

Apparently, everyone has been doing a lot of stress baking. People are staying home more due to Covid and everyone is in the kitchen. And lots of them are making muffins and coffeecakes, yeast and quick breads, cakes and cookies.

I’m glad people are baking. To think of the aroma of fresh bread or fresh cookies in the cookie jar are happy thoughts.

But flour isn’t the only grain you can use for baking. One of my favorites for adding flavor is the often overlooked cornmeal.

Blueberry upside down cake

This is a less-sweet dessert that is so good. I’ve also made it with apples, cherries and cranberries but blueberries are the best.

Fruit:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Batter:

• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsps. vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk or yogurt

Prepare fruit layer: In a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet: melt butter; dissolve brown sugar. Remove from heat. Add blueberries. Let cool a bit while you mix up the batter.

Mix cake batter: Cream together sugar and butter till fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and mix in alternately with buttermilk. Pour over blueberries. Place skillet on cookie sheet to catch any drippings. Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 F.

Remove from oven. Let cool 15-20 minutes. Run knife along edge to loosen before turning upside down onto a plate.

Anadama bread for bread machine

Makes a 2 pound loaf

• 1-1/4 cup milk, warmed
• 2 Tbsps. butter, melted
• 3 Tbsps. molasses
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tsps. salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2-1/4 tsps. yeast

Place ingredients in bread machine in order listed. Use multi-grain bread setting.

Cornbread

Use a 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch cast iron pan

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Stir to combine but do not overbeat – small lumps of butter are fine. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back.