Sunday, February 26, 2012

Cornbread Junkie











I'm pretty sure I have an addiction to cornbread. Sweet versions, savory versions, scratch recipes, boxed mixes... they're all good in my book. With my taste buds teased by my recent Florida vacation, today I was in the mood for a citrus twist. I made a fresh cup of coffee and started my hunt around the kitchen. A pint of blueberries, 2 limes, and a donut pan caught my eye. I added 1/4 cup of sugar, the zest and juice of 1/2 a lime, and about 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries to my standard boxed cornbread mix. I carefully spooned the batter into a greased donut pan and placed it in a 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes. While the donuts were baking to perfection and creating an intoxicating aroma, I whipped up a quick blueberry syrup. The zest and juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and a handful of blueberries simmered down in a nonstick skillet until the berries were warm and the sugar was dissolved. Pressed through a sieve, this mixture created a sweet nectar that I added to real maple syrup to yield one delectable dipping sauce for my cornbread donuts. Perhaps one day I'll seek help for this addiction.... on second thought, I'll just wait for the intervention.