Tips for flawless cornbread

Dear Lynne: I am hoping you have a cornbread recipe I can't ruin (mine constantly overbakes and tastes tough). Could it have some unusual flavorings, too?

— A Georgia Peach

in New York City

Dear Georgia Peach: This is one of our go-to recipes for cornbread. Cornbread is one of those things you can make fairly quickly, and anything you pair with it, no matter how simple, seems especially homey. Try this recipe with scrambled eggs, or with a bowl of sauteed greens and beans. Heritage of this recipe is more New England than Georgia, but I am a Yankee, so there you are.

First, get an oven thermometer. From what you're saying about overbaking, your oven is probably running too hot. With a thermometer, you can adjust the heat as needed.

Next are the keys to the actual recipe: Preheat your oven at least 20 minutes before you plan to put in the cornbread. Check your thermometer to see that the temperature is correct. If not, adjust the temperature. Slip your baking pan into the oven to heat up.

Next, always mix the dry ingredients completely so there aren't pockets of baking powder. A whisk makes this easy. If you are adding flavors that are not liquid, blend them into the dry ingredients the way the onion, garlic, thyme and cheese go into this recipe.

Finally, beat together the liquids and stir (not beat) them into the dry ingredients just long enough to blend and moisten them. If you stir them in until the batter is smooth, you get tough cornbread. You want the batter to have lots of small lumps.

Serve with a bowl of sauteed greens and good-tasting beans and you have a complete supper. For parties, bake the cornbread ahead, and rewarm just before serving.

Cook to Cook: If you'd prefer, eliminate the flavorings, or change them to taste. The cornbread will still be fine. In changing flavors, just avoid any that are very moist. For instance, for a fruit cornbread you could add 1/2 cup snipped dried apricots, 1 extra tablespoon sugar, a teaspoon grated lemon zest and some raisins.

"Dip and level"means to measure flour and cornmeal by dipping the measuring cups into the sack (with flour, fluff it up first with a fork) and coming out with a heaping cup, leveling it off with a straight edge. Don't tap the cup or tamp down the flour or cornmeal.

Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table,"American Public Media's weekly national show. The program airs Sundays at 2 p.m. on KUOW 94.9 FM. Contact Lynne at www.splendidtable.org.