Things I Can Count On

There are few things in life that I know I can count on.  For me, I know that I can count on Ted.  Unequivocally.  I know I can count on the fact that I will have to text Charlie at least three times before he texts back.  I can also count on the fact that Charlie's phone call returning skills are much the same, maybe even worse, than his text returning skills.  On the other hand, I know I can count on the fact that Kate will call me without my having to place the first call.   Ditto the texts.  And she will keep me (more than) updated on the goings on in her life.  It's a girl thing.

I can count on my sister Jill, other assorted relatives, and my friends.  I can count on the fact that my hair salon will call a couple of days before my appointment to remind me of my appointment, despite the fact that I have told them over and over that if I put it on my calendar, I will be there.

I guess they're not sure they can count on me.

I can also count on the fact that I will love any recipe Ina Garten writes.  Yes, even Ina's too tart Chicken Piccata, which my aforementioned sister doesn't like.  I love Ina's recipes so much that I was willing to overlook the abundance of lip smacking-ness that accompanied that particular dish.

But I digress.  Of course I digress.  You can always count on my digressing.

Ina's new cookbook, Make It Ahead, is clock full of delicious tasting recipes (at lease those I've already made).  Included is a recipe for Sour Cream Cornbread.

Let me just start out by saying that I have never met a cornbread recipe I didn't like.  Also, as stated above, I've never met an Ina Garten recipe I didn't like.  I'm calling this a win-win.

Aside from being a really nice recipe, this one had a little something extra.  By baking it in a loaf, it can be sliced and popped in the toaster and served up at breakfast with a little butter and jam.  How cool is that?  I'll admit that it was just the teensiest bit crumbly, but that's another thing to count on:  cornbread bring crumbly.

Recipe:  Sour Cream Cornbread
Ina Garten, Make It Ahead, 2014

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Bob's Red Mill medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder (see note)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
11/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sour cream
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
Salted butter and strawberry jam, for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line the bottom of two 8 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and eggs and then slowly whisk in the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix them together with a rubber spatula, until combined. Don't overmix! Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the top, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Place the pans on a rack and cool completely.

When ready to serve, slice the corn bread, toast it, and serve with salted butter and strawberry jam.