Two at a Time Baking

It was a beautiful fall day today in Chapel Hill and for dinner, I made chicken chili in the slow cooker and cornbread.  As I searched for a recipe to use, I learned that apparently there are differences between northern and southern cornbread.  After hearing the differences (southern - at least according to my research - tends to be flatter with crispy/crunchy crusts while nothern is sweeter, lighter and thicker), it became clear that I prefer northern cornbread. This recipe turned out quite well and was a nice accompaniment to the chicken chili - perfect on a crisp, cool autumn night.

Yankee Cornbread
Makes 9 servings
Adapted from Baking Illustrated

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
0.5 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons sugar
0.5 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9 inch square baking pan.
2. Melt butter over low heat.
3.  Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the middle of the bowl.
4.  Crack eggs into well and stir eggs lightly with a wooden spoon. 
5.  Add buttermilk and milk and stir it all together quickly until almost combined.
5.  Add melted butter and stir until just combined.
6.  Pour batter into greased pan.
7.  Bake on center rack for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown with some small cracks and edges pull away from sides of pan.
8.  Cool in pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. 
9.  If you want to re-heat later, heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
10.  Enjoy!