There is a reason that cooks have long reached for their cast-iron skillets when making cornbread. The dark, heavy metal gives the crust a wonderful color and a wonderful crispness on the outside. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can absolutely use any other heavy ovenproof pan. Just make sure it's about 12-inches in diameter and has sides that are at least 2-inches tall.
Since cornbread mix involves a relatively simple ingredient list, including cornmeal, flour, sugar, leavening, and salt, butter is essential for adding flavor depth. Neutral-tasting cooking oils could allow the sweetness of the corn and sugar in the bread to come through. However, for me, this translates to one-dimensional, bland taste. Butter uplifts the corn's flavor and gives way to the bread's signature savory-sweetness.
Chicken pot pie may have its roots in medieval England, but it's now a favorite in households across America. While you can always pick up a store-bought chicken pot pie, making it from scratch is so much more rewarding. Not only can you take easy shortcuts when making homemade versions, you can also add ingredients and make swaps that'll really bring the recipe to the next level.
