Tippin's Cornbread and Honey Butter

Well...it has been an insane day of Thanksgiving preparation...a huge thanks to my friend Amanda (you're awesome) and my mother-in-law (saving the day several days in a row and counting) for helping with the preparations in terms of recipe providing, sous-cheffing (yeah I made up some spellings there) and general morale boosting.

I don't know about you, but I love cornbread.  There are an awful lot of crazy variations out there, most notably those containing entire kernels of corn, jalepenos, and cheddar cheese.  This is none of those.  In fact...I'll say it...this cornbread doesn't even need all that other stuff to dress it up.  It stands alone.  Or, rather, it stands alongside its delicious little buddy, honey butter.

Because you kind of HAVE to have the honey butter if you're eating cornbread.

This recipe is the nearest clone I've ever found to the Tippin's cornbread.  Now for those of you who might not be from Kansas City or don't know...Tippin's was a wonderful little KC restaurant/pie pantry absolutely renowned locally for its desserts.  Tippin's was actually my first serving job, and I think it's entirely fitting that it was a pie pantry.  So good.

Anyway, my mom (love you Mom) loved this place.  Obviously so did I.  One of her favorite things there (besides the banana cream pie that I'd bring home most nights) was the cornbread and honey butter.  But here's where the story turns dark.

By some sick twist of fate, all the Tippin'ses went out business in the mid 2000's.  Kansas Citians wept tears enough to fill a thousand oceans.  Maybe not, but it was a terrible horrible shame.

I so wish my mom could be here to have Thanksgiving with us, but since she can't I figured this is the next best thing.

So without further ado, in honor of my super awesome, amazingly beautiful, sweet, kind, incredible-in-every-way, one-of-a-kind, so-lucky-to-have-her, best in the world 28 years in a row and counting mom, I give you...my absolute best effort at recreating that cornbread and honey butter she loved so much.

Tippin's Corn Bread

(adapted from food.com)

1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1 (9 oz) box Jiffy golden yellow cake mix

2 eggs

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup cold water

In a large bowl, whisk together the two boxes of Jiffy mix.  

Add eggs, melted butter, water, and milk, stirring until smooth.

Pour batter into a 9x9 greased baking pan.  Bake in a preheated 400º oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack about 10 minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

(adapted from allrecipes) 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened.
3 Tbsp honey (I love Savannah Bee Company honey in Sourwood)
1 dash ground cinnamon

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix butter on medium-high for about 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed until light and fluffy.  

Add honey and cinnamon and mix well, scraping as needed.  

Use immediately or tore in a covered dish in the fridge to use as needed.