Foodie Chickie’s Cookbook Challenge

I love the challenges set forth on the different blogs. Challenges..well..challenge me! I find I am challenged to try new things and to stretch in my cooking skills..to think outside the box. This weekend was no exception.

  You can find the information at

and the deadline is tomorrow so if you are really quick you can enter it!

  The subject was cornmeal. How mediocre, how boring..how challenging and intriguing! I collect vintage and antique cookbooks so I was determined to find something there.

In the pages of my 1940’s copy of Ida Baily Allen’s Money Saving Cookbook-Cooking For Vicory I found what I was going to base my recipe on.. Sweet potato corn bread.

 I tweaked it to make it less dense, a litle sweeter and more a breakfast/brunch offerning than a lunch or dinner one. I added a praline topping..It is unique and delicious with a faint taste of sweetpotato.  I hope you enjoy it.

1 egg

1 1/2 c mashed sweet potato (don’t whip, this was from the 40’s so be authentic and ue a masher)

3/4 c milk

4 Tbs melted unsalted butter

3/4 c corn meal

3/4 c flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

 Topping

1/4 c unsalted butter melted in the bottom of a 9″ round cake pan

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c chopped pecans

Melt butter in pan as you are preheating oven o 375. Do not let brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter and mix, then mix in pecans so the are coated with the brown sugar butter mixture. Spread evenly over bottom of the pan.

beat the egg in a bowl. Add the sweet potato, milk, sugar, and butter.  Stir in flour, corn meal and baking powder.

Spoon batter over the praline in pan and bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool slightly and invert pan on plate.