IRON SKILLET CORN BREAD, OLD RECIPE

THIS RECIPE WAS GIVEN TO ME BY A VERY SPECIAL LADY, AND I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL STORY TO GO WITH IT. Several years ago, my wife and I lived in a small resort on Lake Hamilton. We had a cool-looking old "bungalow", very small. Most of the tenants there were "loners", guys who had little or no family. Moved alot. Then there were those that were there steady. The manager was an older lady, Edith Ware. Every Thanksgiving, she cooked up a huge batch of corn bread and corn bread dressing to pass around. Edith had family in town she cooked for also, but so selfishly cooked these recipes passed down thru her family, for all of us "loners". The true spirit of the holidays. We all looked forward to this time of year for her offerings. So, for a moment, I need to get away from my smoked and BBQ this and that, and share this recipe with you. This cornbread is also used in her Corn Bread Dressing, which I will put in another post. So here goes...

1-1/2 cups Yellow Corn Meal (Edith always swore you had to use Stone Ground)
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1-Tbls. Baking Powder
1-Tsp. Salt
1-Pinch Baking Soda
1-1/2 cups Buttermilk
1-Egg
2-4 Tbls. Bacon Drippings
Mix all thoroughly, including the bacon drippings, leave enough drippings to liberally grease your iron skillet.

Heat your iron skillet in 400 degree oven. When hot, pour batter into skillet. Bake until cornbread begins to pull away from sides of skillet. (25-30 min) You should be able to flip the skillet over and cornbread will come right out in one beautiful piece. I make this myself every year and it has such a great flavor and crispness to it, from the Bacon Drippings.

As with any recipe handed down like this, I remember Edith needing to "think" about measurements, because she "eyeballed" everything she cooked. Reminds me of my mother, who was the best cook, and all the inspiration for me and my passion for preparing foods, and then kicking back to watch others enjoy.

TRY THIS ONE!
STEVO
AND THANKS FOR READING MY RAMBLINGS!