Bob’s Broccoli Cheese Cornbread

My dad is a talented, adventurous cook. Whether he is making a healthy dinner for two or whipping up a meal for the 25 members of his supper club, he is interested in novel ingredients, creative techniques, and both new and traditional recipes.

Having lived in south Louisiana for over 60 years, Dad appreciates the variety of Cajun delicacies available to work with.  He and my mother have a deep love of cooking area specialties, but also are interested in innovative dishes from other cultures.

My siblings and I marvel that Dad has turned out to be such chef because his childhood held no training or teaching in cooking methods from my grandmother. A single mother who worked as a nurse full-time, Grandma never focused on the world of gastronomy. Instead, she employed a can opener, a pot on the stove, and her pantry shelves, warming up whatever combination seemed right for supper each night. Because the contents of each can warmed at different rates, my father learned to eat one portion of his meal at a time. To this day, he finishes all of his chicken before moving onto the potatoes. And if green beans are on the plate, they will probably wait until last to be tasted.

While my mother planned, shopped for, and cooked our meals when I was growing up, my father gradually took over many of those tasks. Once Bob started cooking in his middle age, he used his new interest and talent to feed others. He is famous for delivering soup to neighbors and friends. He frequently cooks so that family members can stop by and pick up a ready-made dinner. Dad sees cooking as a way to create and share. He and my mother breezily talk about having 14 people over for gumbo or stuffed pork chops. Gathering other folks around the table makes the meal that much more pleasurable—and while everyone is eating, they can decide on what they will cook next!

Instead of a cloud-based storage system for his recipes, Bob uses a case-based system—his briefcase. When asked how he makes his Oven Barbequed Brisket or Redfish Courtbouillon, he consults a very thick rubber-banded bunch of 5 X 8 index cards, many stained with years of use. Out of the bunch comes the recipe you’ve asked for, usually with notes jotted in the margins as years of cooking have helped that recipe evolve.

During a recent visit, I was treated to one of Bob’s crowd-pleasers called Broccoli Cornbread with Cheese. Dad’s recipe calls for a couple of boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix plus other easy-to-find ingredients. They magically morph into a medley of flavors that is part cornbread and part egg casserole with broccoli accents. The dish is satisfying, yet light—and would work well for lunch, brunch, a light supper, or a hearty side dish.

I copied Dad’s recipe and brought it home with me. I decided to try to use ingredients I had on hand—flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt—in lieu of the prepared cornbread mix. (It was more convenient for me not to use a convenience food!) And because I couldn’t find the same size of boxed frozen broccoli that Dad used, I tried frozen bagged broccoli, which contained a bit more than his recipe called for.

I forgot to incorporate one of the cups of cheddar cheese into the batter, so I sprinkled it on top. That mistake ended up being one that had a good ending.

The result was a fine tribute to Bob and his love of good food. The cornbread was studded with pieces of broccoli and had a delicious, golden brown cheesy crust on top.

We saluted Bob as we served ourselves a piece.

Dad’s willingness to try new foods and dedication to sharing the fruits of his labor will be a guiding kitchen philosophy for me in the years to come.

I have provided both my version of this recipe and Bob’s below.

Broccoli Cheese Cornbread Sunnyside Style

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Crowd-pleasing cornbread rich with cheese and vegetables

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese I used 4%
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese divided into two equal parts
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco or to taste
• 1 large onion chopped finely
• 1 12-ounce bag frozen broccoli --defrosted

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a 9 X 13 pan with either cooking spray or butter. Set aside.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring well to blend.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add the cottage cheese, melted butter, and one cup of cheddar cheese to the eggs, mixing well. Season mixture with black pepper and Tabasco.
• Add the dry ingredients to the cottage cheese mixture, stirring until just combined.
• Fold in the chopped onions and broccoli to the mixture.
• Transfer mixture to greased casserole dish. Top with remaining cup of cheddar cheese.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

Adapted from Bob Adamson

Bob's Broccoli Cornbread with Cheese

Sunnyside Cook

Bob Adamson

Broccoli in a surprise package!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 3/4 stick butter melted
• 4 eggs
• 2 8.5 ounce boxes corn muffin mix (Jiffy’s)
• 1 10-ounce package frozen broccoli --thawed
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan.
• Beat cottage cheese, melted butter, eggs, and 1 cup cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
• Stir corn muffin mix into butter mixture until just moistened. Fold in broccoli, onion, and remaining cup of cheddar cheese. Mix well.
• Place into 9 X 13 baking dish.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Enjoy.