A Little Cornbread with your Chili

It's football season! Which means all sorts of things wonderfully fall, including chili and cornbread!  Who can argue with those combinations?  In preparation for this fall season, I have begun prepping my chili making by making my first batch today.  And to add, it just wouldn't be complete without Grandmother's Kentucky cornbread!

You might be thinking...this is a football/fall food loaded post; and don't worry, those are coming.

But not this one! As much as I'd love to spend time on fall, this post isn't that.  It's about southern hospitality and the beautiful nature of my grandmother.  Grandmother has gone on to Heaven, and Grandaddy Scott passed soon after; however, she still remains so strong in me and my sisters' and brother's lives.

I remember when Grandmother gave me that Kentucky cornbread recipe.  It was soon after my wedding and I was asking about her cooking and the skillets she used and she LOVED my interest.  She told me some tips and recognized that I would love to be able to actually use real utensils and cook, because Lord knows, I had a LOT to learn (and still do, but I'm getting there).  I'll never forget it, she literally TORE out this recipe and handed it straight to me and told me to keep it.

I had it stuck down in my purse for the longest time, and eventually stuck it in my recipe book and I even kept it safe through a couple of moves.   She passed away before I had a chance to try it out.

But, one of the first fall, 60-ish degree nights, I decided to make some chili.  My Coach told me how perfect cornbread was with chili and I thought, "my goodness! I have that cornbread recipe from Grandmother!" I ran to the grocery store and grabbed the ingredients and whipped it up at home;  I have to be honest, I was so afraid I would do something wrong.  I probably read the direction 5 or 6 times before AND as I was making it.

It turned out AWESOME.  I'm talking; awesome!  We ate it all with no crumbs to spare. And I so wish I could've told Grandmother how awesome it was. How thankful I was that she had handed it down to me.  How sweet it was for her to just tear it right out of the recipe book trusting that I would one day use it.

Those good ol' southern recipes are more than just southern and more than just recipes.  They are tradition.  They are wisdoms passed on from one generation to the next.  I love the digital age; there really is such good in technology or I wouldn't be blogging!  BUT, there is nothing like seeing one of your family member's handwriting on their personally owned recipe books; especially after it has been passed on.  It inspires me to keep going with my journals (if you don't know me, I have at least one journal in my purse, a couple at my school, and several at home) in hopes that maybe they will be of some value to my children and their children.  It is history staring right at you in the face.

My mom is an artist like her father was; I have two paintings of hers.  One of a Texas landscape and one of my daughter on the beach.  How special will it be to pass it on to my children? And to their children?

So, this southern post is one of encouragement.  Keep on with our technology!  However, keep on with the writings, the church notes, the recipes, the actual paper.  I'm positive your family will be so thankful that you did.

I love you, Grandmother.  Thank you for trusting me with part of your culture and life.  I will treasure that recipe for all time.

Love,
Your Third Granddaughter, Ashley