Everyday Cornbread Recipe

This easy everyday cornbread is the perfect accompaniment to baked beans, chili, and greens. Most southerners make a savory cornbread with no sweetener. This cornbread is a southern-style version made with very little sugar, but feel free to omit it altogether or add more if you like a sweeter cornbread. Another way to enhance the flavor of cornbread is with bacon drippings, so don't throw them away. When you cook bacon, add the drippings to a container. Bacon greasestrained with no bacon pieceswill keep for up to 1 year in the refrigerator. Just smell it before you add it to food to make sure it hasn't gone rancid. When you make your cornbread, replace some of the butter with bacon drippings, if you like. For a more smoky flavor, add a few tablespoons of crumbled bacon to the batter. If you like tex-mex flavors, add a few tablespoons of jalapeo peppers or mild chilies along with about 1/2 cup of shredded or cubed cheese. Whole kernel corn is another option that will add both flavor and texture. There are plenty of ways to use leftover cornbread (see below), and it freezes beautifully, so don't worry about making too much. You might even want to make a double batch