Potluck

We had a department meeting at work today and the managers decided to make it a potluck.  Everyone had to sign up to bring something to the mandatory potluck.  I almost signed up for the easiest thing I could think of--Rice Krispie Treats--but at the last minute I decided to make cornbread instead.  I have a great recipe for cornbread that I used to make at my friend Rich's house when I worked for him.  Of course, it contains butter, buttermilk and cheese.

And I'm sensitive about potlucks.  I always want to do a test run, especially for baking, and especially when I'm still not quite used to my oven.  I bought all the ingredients to make cornbread twice, figuring I'd make it Saturday and then again on Monday.  I know it's silly--other people just brought grocery store danishes and quart containers of potato salad.  I don't like putting all the effort into baking unless it's going to come out right.  I'm careful.

At some point, I realized nobody except John would be eating the test run cornbread.  I thought I might, since it's just INGREDIENTS in the bread that are dairy, but I was justifying.  There are lots of visible cheesy bits in it.  I decided to take the chance and only make it Monday.

It came out all right, though it's thick and I never seem to get the middle done as well as the edges.  I may have to try tweaking the temperature and cooking time a little.  After all that, I got to the potluck about ten minutes late (because I was working my shift at the time) and people had already gotten their food and sat down.  About three people ate the cornbread.  The rest went anonymously to the Stewarding department.  I never tasted it, not even while I was cooking.  That turned out to be a huge challenge--and eating the potluck lunch was a challenge, too.  So many cheesy pasta salads and potato salads.  And rolls.  Ugh.