Classic Southern Cornbread

Has anyone read The Help? If you haven't, I'm sure you've heard of it or seen the movie. I read it a couple years ago, and thought it was a great book and I loved the movie too. Well, my dad just finished it and said he wanted me to make some "southern" recipes. Every time he closed the book he would say, "This book makes me hungry". Then he would proceed to go make himself a snack.

On Saturday, I decided to make this cornbread to go with dinner. I had a surprisingly hard time finding cornmeal - I had looked for it in the grocery store before with no luck, so I ended up getting it at the health food store. Then I went to the grocery store and saw it there too. Go figure. Either way, I got the cornmeal and made this delicious cornbread, so it was all worth it in the end!

My dad really enjoyed it too. I think it may be the first of many Southern recipes that I will be making in the next little while - his next request is "caramel cake", like Minny makes in The Help. If you have a good recipe, let me know!

Classic Southern Cornbread
Adapted from Food Network
Makes an 8 x 8 in. dish of cornbread

• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease an 8x8 inch square pan. 

Melt butter in the microwave and let cool. 

In a small bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk and cooled butter. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. 

Pour batter into pan and cook until it just begins to brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.