I had the urge to eat something sweet today. I also had the inexplicable urge to bake something (which I find extremely odd, since the Maryland summer has me relegated to my room, curtains drawn, huddled over my window air conditioning unit). Insofar as baking and sweet stuff is concerned, there are a few usual suspects in terms of what's to be baked: brownies, cupcakes, muffins, or cake straight-up.

However, there are a few hurdles in my way, and it may take some explaining. I completed an AmeriCorps volunteer service term earlier this year, and have been out of work for about a month and a half; as such, I'd weaned myself away from most luxuries, including a full pantry. My food selection was limited. I have no car, either, and I wasn't about to hop on my bike and sweat my ass off just for a sweet tooth; I most likely would have been tempted to pick up a box of candy anyway, which would have been deadening to my baker's spirit. Another hurdle that the general populous simply doesn't experience is the fact that I follow a vegetarian diet, and vegan to the extent that the only animal product I eat is honey (yes, it really is an animal product...it comes from bees, remember?).

So here's the situation in which I found myself:

• I wanted to bake something sweet.
• I had to use what was on hand.
• I'm poor and my pantry isn't the best-stocked of the bunch.
• I did not want to eat any animal products. That rules out butter, eggs, and milk.

Here's what I created, on a lark. Measurements are approximated, as I simply eyeballed everything other than the cornmeal and flour. I was surprised at just how good it tasted. And it definitely assuaged my sweet tooth.

EQUIPMENT:

• a mixing bowl, medium- to large-sized
• one pint glass
• one spoon
• one square of aluminum foil, approximately one square foot in size (12" x 12")
• a toaster oven (I'll be damned if I'm turning on the actual oven in this heat...!)

INGREDIENTS:

• half-pint of water, plus a little more
• two heaping tablespoons of Ener-G egg replacer (this is primarily tapioca starch)
• about a tablespoon of olive oil
• maybe half a teaspoon of baking powder (NOT baking soda...I still make that mistake from time to time)
• one cup of all-purpose flour
• one cup of cornmeal
• about a half-cup of sugar, or to taste

WHAT TO DO:

1. Sprinkle your two heaping-and I mean heaping-tablespoons of egg replacer into the pint glass. Then pour in your water until the glass is about half full. Stir with your spoon until the mixture is frothy. Set it aside.
2. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar in your mixing bowl. Mix it well. Set that off to the side.
3. Go back to your pint glass. Pour in your tablespoon or so of olive oil. You might also use sunflower oil for this instead, which to me works better for baking (or at least has a more appropriate aroma than olive oil, in my opinion), but olive oil is all I had on hand today. Mix the wet ingredients well in your pint glass, then pour the contents into your dry mixture.
4. Mix all the ingredients in your mixing bowl only until it is "just mixed." The reason is if you mix up cornmeal too much, it will become more dense than you might want it. If necessary, pour in a small amount of water at a time, making sure that all the dry ingredients have been moistened. Remember: don't mix it too much! The batter should be fairly stiff.
5. Set aside your mixing bowl, and bring out your aluminum foil. On each of the edges, roll the foil up to make a little "curb" for your cornbread. It's not too terribly important to make a decent edge; just make sure the foil can all fit in the toaster oven. This is actually your baking tray, believe it or not.
6. Spread your cornbread dough evenly on the aluminum foil. It's important to spread it evenly, so that the insides of the bread are evenly baked. Speaking of which, the baking comes next!
7. Set your baking tray, full of cornbread dough, inside the toaster oven, and close the door. Set the temperature at somewhere between 400 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait about twenty minutes, or until the small peaks at the top of your cornbread begin to brown.
8. Eat hearty, mates! I was very impressed with myself, to say the least; it really hit the spot.

ANALYSIS: You might be able to make this with less egg replacer. One thing I've learned about using the stuff is that it involves a lot of trial and error. Perhaps the type of oil used also has a lot to do with your recipe's final outcome, as well. I personally think a half cup of sugar seemed a bit much. Then again, I did approximate the measurement and could have been a bit overzealous. I blame the sweet tooth.

All things considered, this recipe ROCKED. It took less than a half hour to complete, including baking time. It was very filling (which was my goal), and apart from the sweetness, it had that satisfying, toasted flavour only brought about by the use of cornmeal. Best of all, I didn't have to pick up any more supplies, and with the exception of the egg replacer the ingredients are most likely found in every kitchen. I highly recommend it.

Variations could include a little less sugar, but with onions and peppers to give it a southwestern flair. I imagine this could also make a suitable cornbread crust, for you to spread something else on it. Again, cutting out the sugar can make it a fitting bread to a full course of some sort. I'll most likely use this recipe as the bread the next time I whip up a batch of vegan chili.