Hart Ranch Jalapeno Corn Bread

Rainy days on the Hart Ranch were meant for stomping in potholes, watching the rivers rise and jumping on the trampoline.  Regardless of the activity, we would feel cooped up if kept inside too long, so we found things to keep us busy outside even in the rain.  I remember a time where my brother and I were catching turtles on the river during a pretty nasty rain storm.  My brother was usually pretty mean to me but there were the occasional times where if something fun was distracting us, he was really fun to be around.  It didn't happen often, but I do have some great memories from when it did.  My brother had zero fear of anything.  I was getting nervous as the rain is pounding, the river is flowing fast and there is lightning in the distance.  I was ready to call it a day, but Chico was dead set on catching this red eared slider he had been chasing.  Next thing you know, he slips right into the river and as he's floating down you can hear him laughing from a mile away.  I, of course, panic and not knowing what to do just start running along side the riverbank, tears streaming down my face.  There's never even a thought that I should run home and grab Momma Hart.  Luckily, Chico managed to reach out and grab a tree branch right in time to pull himself back onto the riverbank.  Both of us, sopping wet, went back home to warm up.  He didn't catch that red eared slider that day, but he did catch a bit of that Hart Ranch magic that somehow allowed us to survive a childhood of mischief, discovery and little supervision.  This corn bread always reminds me of rainy days on the Hart Ranch as there's nothing like heating up your soul with a piece of warm, fluffy corn bread straight from the oven.