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Hello, foodies…

Today and everyday…let us always remember and honor those we lost on September 11, 2001.

It just feels like the onset of autumn. The days feel different somehow—and not just because it’s a cooler day here in West Chester, PA. I think it’s just that night is coming sooner, the leaves are hinting at a change in color, and the energy of the days seem…calmer. Summer is the season of rest and vacation, but it’s also such a busy time. Now we’re all home, getting back in the swing of school, work, and life. It’s soothing, isn’t it?

I also really like the food (have I mentioned that before?). Fall means comfort and that’s what we’ve been focusing on this month on In the Kitchen with David®. Cornbread is one of my favorite comfort foods. Yes, it’s the perfect accompaniment to chili or barbecue, but I like to use cornbread in my stuffing, I like it on top of tamale pie, and anytime I’m craving something hearty, buttery, and satisfying. This Sunday we’re making cornbread but it’s not your average loaf. We incorporated sweet potato into the recipe and created a compound butter to smear on top. Oh my gosh, you guys—it’s to die for!

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Serves 12

This recipe is prepared with the KitchenAid 4.5-Quart 300-Watt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Flex Edge (K41789).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

Cornbread:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/4 cups white cornmeal
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Spiced Honey Butter:

• 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Position an oven rack in the center and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" pan or a 10" round pan. Set aside.

2. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, pumpkin spice, and sugar in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, vanilla, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated, but do not overbeat.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until light golden brown, about 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Meanwhile, make the compound butter. Add the butter, honey, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a small bowl. Whip with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Pour the mixture into an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Serve with the warm bread.

A note about compound butter (which is a fancy name for butter with goodness mixed into it). Just follow your taste buds to make your own butters, foodies. If you’re making (or you bought) a hearty Italian bread to go with that lasagna, consider mixing some oregano and basil into the butter. If you’re having some buttermilk biscuits, maybe use this very same recipe. Your butter should be room temperature so you can mix in those ingredients. And a little goes a long way. Taste as you go—and eat it with the bread so you can get the full effect.

Now for some fun—we had an ITKWD recipe shoot yesterday and filmed more how-to videos for later this month. Here’s my Apple Cider Mug Cake…

Being made…

And this was our mid-day snack. When you work on in a kitchen, mozzarella sticks appear. Then disappear…

And they're done!

Keep it flavorful!

—David