A good ole comfort food that's a spin on an old fave.
When I was a kid, my older brother used to date a waitress at Bennigan's and whenever he'd come home, he'd always bring me Monte Cristo sandwiches, which I loved. When I was in college one day, I had a craving, but couldn't afford to go out to eat. However, I did have a sack of cornmeal (again, I'm Southern and I think it's considered a crime if you're a Southern cook and you don't have cornmeal and buttermilk) and I had cheap Budding lunch meat, which most starving art students do, along with some packets of jelly from a local restaurant and a bit of powdered sugar courtesy of my roommate's donuts.
Did I ever say how poor I was in college?
Believe it or not, that first batch wasn't bad. And the recipe has come a long, long way over the years. I know use Oscar Meyer deli cuts, or real meat. Whichever you prefer. It's also good at Thanksgiving when you have a ton of leftovers and you're not sure what to do with them.
Granny Mae Wisdom--Don't you leave this house looking like nobody loves you. I have enough people talking bad about me already. Don't need you in "that" making it any worse on me.
Basic thing is, never be afraid to add your own spin. Except for Reese's peanut butter cups. It was so sweet, it made my teeth ache. I love my youngest son and have to say, that didn't work out so well. But there's always his next attempt in the kitchen, which is why I have not one, but two fire extinguishers.
Monte Cristo Cornbread
1 package Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread Mix
1 cup chopped deli turkey
1 cup chopped deli ham
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sauteed onions
1/2 cup currant jelly
4 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste
Confectioner's sugar
1. Prepare your cornbread according to the package directions, the spread it out in a 10 inch skillet. Don't worry if the cornbread is thin, it's supposed to be.
2. Once it's nice and golden brown, take it out and cut cornbread into cubes.
3. Remove from skillet, the regrease skillet with a lot of grease.
4. Turn oven down to 350°F.
5. Place your cornbread cubes in the skillet, then cover with turkey, ham, and shredded cheese.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon honey mustard until blended.
7. Pour mixture over the ingredients in the skillet as evenly as you can manage.
8. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until it's nicely set and lightly browned.
9. While that finishes baking, warm the currant jelly in a microwave for only a few seconds. You want it right when it's just starting to melt. Add 1 tablespoon honey mustard. Use a whisk to blend. Remove the skillet from the oven. Top with the currant jelly and mustard sauce mix, then sprinkle with the sugar.
10. Serve and enjoy!
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