Homegrown Countrygirl's #6 Skillet Cornbread

While the whole rest of the food blogging world is posting romantic Valentine's Day recipes and menus to woo your lover, I'm going to do something different. I'm going to blog about something I love... something I'm passionate about...
Cornbread!

Hey, I'm not the only one! I've noticed that others are passionate about cornbread, too.People are serious about their cornbread! Need an example? Give a Southerner a piece of sweet cornbread made with sugar and see what happens. Or give a Yankee a piece of crumbly cornbread made with only cornmeal and no flour and ask what they think of it. Chances are you'll strike out in both cases.

So. Here's my favorite cornbread. This my recipe, and how I like it.

Maybe you'll like it, too...

I make this recipe in my #6 cast iron skillet which measures 9 inches across the top. And I use cornmeal that I grind from homegrown field corn... I'll show you that process... someday.

For now, let's just talk about the cornbread!

First, put some lard or bacon grease in an iron skillet and place skillet in oven. Turn oven on and start preheating to 450 degrees.While lard is melting, whisk together some cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda.In another bowl, measure out some buttermilk and add a couple of eggs. Whisk this mixture together, too..Your lard should be melted by now. Carefully remove that skillet from the oven and pour all but about 1 tablespoon of the lard into a small cup. Place skillet (with remaining tablespoon of lard in it) back into the oven.

Let the removed lard in the small cup cool slightly. Then add it to your buttermilk and eggs and whisk againPour buttermilk mixture into dry mixture, blend together with whisk (mixture will loose enough to stir with a wire whisk).

Remove hot skillet from oven again and pour batter into skillet. It will sizzle as you pour it in.Return to oven and bake until done... it won't take long, only about 12-15 minutes.

Here's a piece I slathered with butter and honey... it just seemed like a good idea (and it was)...HOMEGROWN COUNTRYGIRL'S #6 SKILLET CORNBREAD

4 tablespoons lard (or bacon grease)
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Place 4 tablespoons lard in 9 inch iron skillet and place skillet in oven. Turn oven on to 450 degrees. Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk together to blend. In another bowl combine 1 cup buttermilk and 2 eggs. Whisk together. Remove skillet from oven and pour 3 tablespoons of lard into a small cup. Leave remaining 1 tablespoon lard in skillet and return skillet to oven. When lard in cup has cooled enough to add it to the buttermilk mixture, add it to the mixture and whisk again to combine. Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture, whisking with wire whisk to blend. Remove skillet from oven. Pour mixture into skillet. It will sizzle when you pour it in. Return skillet to oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.