Homemade Skillet Cornbread

Homemade Skillet Cornbread with 15-Bean Soup

I've been recyling my non-stick cookware and replacing it with some vintage cast iron over the past year. (I still have 2 pots and 1 pan that I need to replace!) I've enjoyed learning to cook with cast iron, including this recipe for cornbread that I adapted from a package of Arrowhead Mills corn meal. I used to make conrbread in a glass pie plate, but it never turned out as well as it does in the cast iron pan!

The down side of this recipe? It's dish-intensive, and requires two mixing bowls to prepare.

Ingredients:

for the pan:

2 Tablespoons shortening

for a large mixing bowl:

1 cup white flour (or 1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup whole wheat)

1 cup corn meal

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

for a smaller mixing bowl:

2 eggs

1 cup milk (or buttermilk, or any dairy product that you need to use up)

2 T butter, melted or very soft

4 T honey (or less--I like my cornbread sweet!)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place 2 tablespoons shortening in 8 inch cast iron pan and place in oven during preheating time.

2. Meanwhile, combine flours, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl, mixing well.

3. Combine eggs, milk, butter, and honey in small mixing bowl

4. When oven is preheated, pour liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir gently until *barely* combined. Remove hot pan from oven (use mitts!) and carefully pour the batter into the pan. It will sizzle when it comes into contact with the melted shortening, resulting in a crunchy, delicious crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 8 large slices.

Some like to add chiles, cheese, or jalapenos to cornbread, but for now I am sticking to this simple version so that my kids will continue to eat it.