Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
I've heard from several readers asking about Mexican oregano, which I called for in a cornbread recipe I wrote about in my Front Burner column last week.
Although different plants, Mediterranean and Mexican oregano share a similar flavor profile and appearance. Mediterranean oregano is part of the mint family, while Mexican oregano is related to lemon verbena. Flavorwise, they both taste of oregano, but Mexican oregano is slightly more pungent with a hint of citrus compared to Mediterranean oregano. I found Mexican oregano at my regular supermarket — McCormick is one brand — but it is also available in spice shops, Hispanic markets and, of course, online. If you can't find it, you can substitute Mediterranean oregano or even marjoram.
Speaking of cornbread, Risa Ratliff shares this cornbread salad recipe.
"I love this, especially for the summer months. It's a nice addition to a plate of summer veggies, especially with some purple hull peas seasoned up with end pieces of smoked ham from Coursey's," Ratliff writes.
Cornbread Salad
1 (10- to 12-inch) skillet cornbread (Ratliff uses to 2 6-ounce packages of Martha White Mexican cornbread mix cooked according to package directions), cooled
1 small to medium onion, chopped
1 small to medium bell pepper, chopped
1 can whole kernel corn, Mexican style, drained
1 chopped tomato (optional)
1 (16-ounce) jar real mayonnaise
Crumble cornbread into a bowl. Add onion, bell pepper, corn and tomato (if using). Mix in mayonnaise well. For the best flavor, refrigerate several hours before serving.
If you'd rather make cornbread from scratch this recipe from Audrey Spells is one of my favorites. It was published in Idea Alley in 1995 and again in 2009 and has been described as "the best ever" on more than one occasion.
Cornbread
⅓ cup vegetable oil plus more for coating skillet
1 cup cornmeal
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ⅓ cups buttermilk
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a skillet with oil and place skillet in oven to heat while you mix the corn bread batter.
In a bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add eggs, ⅓ cup oil and the buttermilk. Stir until well blended. Pour into hot skillet and bake until golden brown; baking times will vary depending on size of skillet.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203; email:
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 07/31/2019