Cornbread vs. Saltines

When I moved to Miami, I rented out a room from the one and only Janet Rose. She was the school secretary. For my rent, I received a room with a bed, dresser, and closet. . . parking in the driveway. . . dinner almost every night. . . and one of my dearest friends (Janet!).

Janet is a southern girl and I enjoyed some foods for the first time: succotash, grits, and chili with homemade cornbread. She'd heat up a cast iron skillet in the oven, throw way too much butter in it, and then put the batter in the pan. It would sizzle something fierce. Back in the oven and then. . . . It was so yummy and we enjoyed it with more butter or dunked in the chili. Karen (my best friend and roommate) and I continued the tradition of cornbread with chili in the years that followed.

Today I wish I could make cornbread every time I make chili. I used to do it more, but "losing weight" events have led me to cease this delicious combination over the past few years. I still make chili about every other week during the winter, but we have saltines. I like them. . . but not the same.

Then. . . TODAY! Gary went to Aldi on an errand for me and came home with cornbread crackers. They taste like cornbread. They crunch like crackers. They are low calorie. Guess what will be on our menu next week?