Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread

We have Sunday dinner with my in-laws pretty much every Sunday. Last night, I used the cornbread recipe I usually do and my mother-in-law told me to post it here, so she can find it. When an older Italian grandmother makes a comment like that on your cooking, you take that as a giant compliment and do what she says.

It really is a nice recipe, unless you are used to a southern style of cornbread. This is sweet-ish, moist and fairly cakey if it comes out right. It makes a good side dish to tame a spicy chili or pulled pork. It also makes good muffins for breakfast. Sometimes I throw a can of corn into the recipe.

Here you go, Nonna.

Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread

(not my grandmother, BETHANYWEATHERSBY from allrecipes.com’s grandmother, it’s her recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grandmothers-buttermilk-cornbread/ )

Ingredients

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (I often substitute for 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar because I haven’t picked up Sarah’s suggested Saco’s cultured buttermilk yet)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

2. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan. Once it’s melted, take it off the heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs into the saucepan and stir it up until it’s smooth (you’ll only have one dish to wash!). Measure out your buttermilk and stir in the baking soda, then pour it into the saucepan with the other ingredients, stir until fully mixed. Add the cornmeal, flour and salt to the saucepan mixture and stir until combined with little to no lumps. Pour into the greased dish.

3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.