Johnney cakes

I was browsing through my library's online card catalog, looking for new and interesting cook books. I found a listing called Loaves of Fun by Elizabeth M. Harbison. I looked the book up on Amazon and found out it was a children's book that was sort of a history of bread making.

Blockette went nuts over this book. It is right at her reading level with the exception of a few words (like Mesopotamia) that she was unfamiliar with. She did a great job sounding out the new words.

She had recently read the Magic Treehouse books Civil War on Sunday, Twister on Tuesday, Revolutionary War on Wednesday and Thanksgiving on Thursday so I thought making Johnney Cakes would be a great tie in. I also told her that Laura from the Little House on the Prairie also ate Johnney Cakes.

Blockette was sold. She was a very eager helper. I had her read me the recipe as I measured, mixed and cooked the corn cakes. I wasn't sure who had more fun making these cakes, me or Blockette. The cakes were tasty enough, a little on the bland side. Nothing that couldn't be cured with butter, jelly and lots of syrup. The taste wasn't really what we were going after when we made these, so it was OK that they weren't haute cuisine.

I have a feeling we will be checking this book out many more times to try out more of the different breads in the book.

A half Recipe for Johnney Cakes from p51 of Loaves of Fun
1/2 c water
1 T butter , plus extra for oiling the pan
1/2 c cornmeal
1/4 t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/4 c milk

1.bring water and 1 T butter to a boil in a saucepan over med-high heat.
2.Mix cornmeal, salt and sugar in bowl, and pour water and butter mix in. Add milk and stir.
3. put skillet on the stove over med heat and melt some more butter on it, tipping the pan to get the butter all over it.
4. spoon the batter in pancake-sized dollops onto the hot skillet. Cook for 5 min on each side or til golden brown.
5. serve hot, topped with jam, syrup, or apple butter

makes 6 johnneycakes