Bonus Recipe, Cornbread

So, there's an unwritten rule that states never try a recipe for the very first time with company. It probably has a corollary that states if you've never prepared anything like this recipe don't even think about it. I admit it, some rules are just meant to be broken.

We had some friends come over last night, and a southern kielbasa, green bean and potato soup was made for dinner. What's a more southern accompaniment than cornbread? I've never made cornbread, not even from a box. Why you may ask? Because all the cornbread I've ever tried has been dry and left me feeling like I had a whole mouth of cardboard.

So, knowing the dinner plan I went hunting for cornbread recipes. I'm an intuitive cook. Some say I am gifted in the kitchen. Last night, two country boys said "I dun good" and one of them (bless his pointed little head) said that I will be making it again and again.

I won't take the credit for this one, but it is an amalgamation of several recipes that I found, with this one,Homesteader Cornbread, being the base recipe.

2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. In a bowl, mix the cornmeal and milk, let stand for ten minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grease a 9x13 pan and preheat the oven to 350.
3. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
4. Add the cornmeal-milk mix, eggs and oil. Mix for about 5 minutes.
5. Pour into your waiting greased pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 350.

NOTES: I used unbleached all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and plain veggie oil. You can get away with regular all-purpose flour, regular salt, and canola oil if you like. Peanut oil would probably impart a taste that I, personally don't prefer in my foods. I used a large deep dish pie plate and a 8x8 square pan, as I don't own a 9x13 pan. Both were glass. When I checked at 30 minutes, the cornbread was cooked thru, but hadn't begun to brown on top. I added 5 minutes to the timer. PERFECT. The result was a moist, sweet cornbread that the boys ate 3/4 of. Guess they missed cornbread. You can use less sugar, but the request was specifically for "sweet cornbread" when I mentioned that cornbread sounded like a great accompaniment to the planned soup.