Cornmeal and Cheddar Bread

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cups grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 6-cup (8½ by 4/-inch) loaf pan with the olive oil. Place all the remaining ingredients in a food processor and process for a few seconds to combine, or mix in a bowl with a whisk.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, set the pan on a cookie sheet, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the loaf is well set and nicely browned Cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes, then unmold, slice, and serve warm.

Notes

A great addition to a bread basket and good with soup, this bread takes little preparation time. I combine the ingredients in a food processor, but you can whisk them together by hand if you prefer.

Note: If you use packaged grated cheese, the batter can be ready for the oven in minutes.