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My family is from Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. I'd say that every bone in my body is southern -- no carpetbaggers here. I never heard of the no cornbread with meat rule. A typical meal at my grandparents' (including breakfast) would include at least one meat and often two; at least 3 vegetables; biscuits AND cornbread. Cornbread (including hushpuppies) is never sweet and contains no flour -- only cornmeal. This, of course, is how I was raised. I would never criticise someone else's taste or opinions. But if you come to my house and cornbread is on the menu, it will not be sweet and will not be dependent on whether there is also meat on the table. On the other hand, I have deviated from my grandmother's recipe by experimenting with whole wheat biscuits.

This may sound weird, but my husband's family has a recipe for a grapefruit and avocado salad. He says it is great.
Our avocado only had one on it this year, but the grapefruit tree is loaded (way more than we can handle). We are giving away to everyone we see.

I like them better than beef burgers. If we go out for hamburgers, and bison is on the menu, then that is what I order.

We are definitely having the bacon cornbread dressing.

Do I have to choose only one?
I would say the Best Drop Biscuits, but the Oven Roasted Potato Wedges also sound great.

The absolutely best vanilla I ever had was a brand of Mexican called Xel-Ha.
My brother brought me back an entire pint of it when he was down there on vacation. I've used it all up and have not found any other that is as good as that. So, if you are ever in the vicinity of Cozumel (near where the cruise ships come in), look for it.

My biggest baking disaster was a loaf of bread that I actually named "disaster bread."
It was the year that 4 hurricanes came through central Florida. We were "between" hurricanes and were moving to a new house across town. I decided to make a loaf of bread to take to the new house.
I accidentally picked up my bag of mixed nuts and seeds and used that instead of flour (how could I not notice?). I was aware that it seemed kind of "dense" when I kneaded it, but the brick that came out of my oven was indescribable. It actually tasted kind of good, if you could get past the texture.

@Niblet: I actually did look at Emeril's recipe, but don't think that is like what I am looking for.

@beth1: I think that, rather than a yellow cake, I will probably start with a white cake. This was definitely a light-colored cake.

The problem with most of the recipes that I have found is that they are for the more traditional molasses/brown sugar -- ginger -- type of dark spice cake. I have several terrific gingerbread recipes, but this is not what I am looking for at this time.

@laurelvan: I would love to see your 1939 recipe, if it is for a lighter version. As I mentioned in my original post, the predominant spice flavor is that of allspice. Of course I can play with, and alter the spices called for in a recipe. Mainly I am looking for that light beige color and light, but moist, texture.

Thanks, everyone for suggestions!

This recipe for sour cream pound cake has been in my family for several generations. It is not at all temperamental and quite easy to make -- always wonderful. My grandparents were bakers/caterers and they even used it for wedding cakes:

2 sticks butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
3 cups cake flour
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325º
Cream sugar and butter.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add sour cream.
Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture.
Add vanilla.
Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes.

Hershey's does make a dutch process cocoa. They market it as "Special Dark" and it comes with the same label as their special dark candy bar.
I use both natural and dutch cocoa, depending on what I have on hand. Each gives its own special flavor to the recipe. But you have to be careful. If the recipe calls for baking soda, then use natural cocoa (dutch processed cocoa is quite alkaline, and combining it with baking soda can give a strange taste to the food it's cooked in).

I grew up on true Southern cornbread, which does not have any sugar (or flour) in it. Therefore, I never developed a taste for the Jiffy mix. My cornbread is simply cornmeal (preferably yellow), buttermilk, egg, and shortening (plus leavening, of course).
And it must be baked in a smoking hot cast iron skillet.
But, I also loved my grandmother's johhny cakes, which were fried on the stove, also in a cast iron skillet.

I haven't made (or eaten) sloppy joes in so long that I can't remember the last time. The recipe looks really good and I will definitely try it. But will have to wait until my parents leave (they are visiting for a week), as my mom does not eat ground beef or tomato products!

My mom gave me "The Settlement Cookbook" when I first went out on my own, and I loved that book. Gave my copy to my nephew when he got his first apartment, planning to gey a new copy for myself.
Was disappointed to find that it is out of print.
I have since bought the 75th anniversary "Joy of Cooking" and have been enjoying it almost as much as Settlement.