New Year's Cracklin, Cheesy, Roasted Butter Cornbread - with AI Help

 

What does AI have to do with cornbread?

Not much really. But I use it everyday, on just about everything else. So,  I decided I'd use it for my New Years cornbread.  What you're reading is the conversation I had with a "Chef Persona' I created in my "Magai" account. Note that Magai personas have all information regarding the role AI is playing. So you can speak to the AI about things the persona knows about. At any rate, this cornbread is/was fantastic. And yes, that's an affiliate link. But I don't promote it because of that. I promote it because it's a great app. 

You are preparing a traditional southern New Years Eve lunch. Collards, Black eyed peas, and cornbread. Your cornbread must contain butter, the recipe on the Dixie Lily Self WIRising corn meal. You don't have buttermilk, but you do have 2% milk. And you don't want to use shortening or vegetable oil you prefer to use butter. you are going to add cracklins, cheese, and onions to the cornbread mix. You don't want to use but one egg in the recipe. Create the recipe that you are going to use, including the ingredients and measurements. You will probably cook them in a full size air fry oven, in a cast iron pan. You can use any type oven or pan that fits the recipe though.

Auto

Reasoning

Here’s how I’d do that pan of New Year’s cracklin’ cornbread for you, Stan.

Cracklin’, Cheese & Onion Skillet Cornbread

(using Dixie Lily Self-Rising Corn Meal, 2% milk, butter, 1 egg)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Dixie Lily Self-Rising Corn Meal
• 1 large egg
• 1⅓ cups 2% milk
  • (Optional but nice: stir in 1 tablespoon white vinegar to fake a light buttermilk tang)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 tablespoons melted for the batter
  • 1 tablespoon for the skillet (use 2 tablespoons if your skillet is 12")
• ½–¾ cup cracklins, chopped into small pieces
• 1 cup (about 4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup finely diced onion (about 1 small onion)
• Optional seasoning (recommended):
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pinch of cayenne (if you like a little heat)

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Directions

1. Preheat & heat the skillet

   • Put your cast iron skillet in the full‑size air fry oven.
   • Preheat to 400°F on a bake/air roast setting (not max “air fry” if that runs super hot).
   • Let the skillet get good and hot while you mix the batter.

2. Fake a bit of buttermilk (optional)

   • If using vinegar, stir 1 tablespoon white vinegar into the 1⅓ cups 2% milk.
   • Let it sit 5–10 minutes while you do the onions; it’ll thicken slightly.

3. Cook the onions

   • In a small pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter (you can steal it from the 5 Tbsp total or add extra).
   • Sauté the ½ cup diced onion over medium heat until softened and just starting to turn golden.
   • Take off the heat and let cool a few minutes.

4. Mix the wet ingredients

   • In a mixing bowl, whisk together:
     • 1 egg
     • The milk (or soured milk)
     • 4 tablespoons melted butter (slightly cooled so it doesn’t scramble the egg).

5. Add the dry & mix-ins

   • Add 2 cups Dixie Lily Self-Rising Corn Meal to the bowl.
   • Gently stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
   • Fold in:
     • Cooked onions
     • ½–¾ cup cracklins
     • 1 cup shredded cheddar
     • Any optional seasonings you like
   • Batter should be thick but spoonable. If it feels dry or too stiff, splash in another tablespoon or two of milk.

6. Grease the hot skillet

   • Carefully pull the hot cast iron from the oven.
   • Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet; swirl/tilt until the bottom and lower sides are coated and the butter is sizzling.
   • Immediately pour the batter into the hot, buttery skillet and smooth the top a bit.

7. Bake in the air fry oven

   • Return the skillet to the oven.
   • Cook at 400°F for about 18–22 minutes.
   • Start checking at 15 minutes: top should be deep golden brown, edges crispy, and a toothpick in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

8. Rest & serve

   • Let the cornbread rest in the skillet 10 minutes before cutting.
   • Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm alongside your collards and black‑eyed peas.

If you tell me the exact size of your skillet and how hot your air fry oven tends to run, I can tighten up the timing for you.

Stan

I found some old cast iron pans that are shaped like ears of corn. How long should they be cooked in that?

Auto

Those corn stick pans are perfect for New Year's cornbread, Stan. You're looking at 8 to 15 minutes of baking time, depending on your oven temperature and how full you fill those molds.

Here's what you need to know:

Temperature & Timing:
The standard approach is to preheat your oven to 425°F with the greased pan already inside.[1][4] Once you fill the wells with batter—about 2 tablespoons per mold, filled to the rim—you'll bake for approximately 13 to 15 minutes until they're golden brown and crisp.[1][3][4] Some recipes go as low as 8 minutes if you're running hotter, but that's on the quick side.[1]

The Key to Success:
You've got to preheat that cast iron pan inside the oven before adding batter.[1][4] This is what gives you the crispy exterior and that iconic corn cob shape imprint. Don't skip this step—it makes all the difference.[1]

Greasing:
Coat those wells generously with your melted butter before preheating.[1][4] Some folks use bacon grease or a little oil mixed with butter, but since you prefer butter, that'll work great.[5]

When They're Done:
They should spring back slightly when you press them with a finger, and the tops will be lightly browned.[3] A toothpick in the center should come out clean.[4] Let them cool in the pan for just 2 to 5 minutes before popping them out—any longer and they'll stick.[1][3]

For your loaded cornbread with cracklins, cheese, and onions, I'd lean toward the 15-minute side since you've got extra ingredients that'll need to cook through.