The great cornbread disaster of 2009 (or how I got my Ph.D. in Cornbread)

As y'all know, life has been a bit hectic for me lately, but I think I had it under control pretty well, all things considered. (Except for the tree never getting put up.)

I made my grocery list the day after I got back from Knoxville, and The Boyfriend and I went off to Publix. That was the smoothest major grocery trip experience ever. I got most everything on my list and the searching was minimal.

A few days later, Christmas Eve, I woke up and got that vegetable soup on to start cooking. I had been looking forward to this all year.

Vegetable soup + cornbread = Perfect Christmas Eve.

About 5:00, I started the cornbread. Batter looked good, finished product looked PERFECT. Around 6:00, I began serving the dinner. I cut into the cornbread and it seemed a little different, but I just chalked it up to maybe putting too many eggs into it. (Cornbread quiche, perhaps?)

I couldn't resist how yummy the cornbread LOOKED, so I snuck a bite. (A cook has to make sure the finished product is edible.)

And it's a good thing I did.

I warned my guests that it didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste. Gamma asked if I added salt. No. You only add buttermilk, eggs, and hot oil. The Boyfriend insisted it was because I did not use a cast iron skillet. (Oops! I left them in Auburn.) No. The skillet would not affect the taste that much. And then Granny asked the million dollar question.

"Did you use plain cornmeal?"

"Duh! I just wanted plain cornbread."

"You didn't buy self rising?"

Turns out, Publix played a nasty trick on us young Southerners this Christmas. Their cornbread shelves were full, but they were mostly full of plain cornmeal.

I thought I was a cornbread expert, since I know how to make it perfectly and without a recipe and measuring tools. Turns out, I had one more lesson to learn.

I'd leave y'all with a recipe, but the thing is, there is no recipe. My only secret is, if you are following the direction on the White Lily bag, add an extra egg. It makes a world of difference. (P.S. If you don't have an iron skillet to pre-heat with oil in the oven, heat up some oil in a skillet on the stove, then add to the mixture before baking. It adds a little crisp you wouldn't get with a plain old pan.)