Basic Southern Cornbread

I was raised on cornbread; well cornbread and biscuits.  There is nothing like good ole' Southern cornbread screamin' hot right out of the cast iron skillet with a nice crispy golden brown crust.   I actually don't really use a recipe.  Mom taught me how to make cornbread when I was in elementary school.  So, I'm posting the recipe off the back of the Martha White Gladiola Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix bag.  So, if you want some great cornbread, you've just gotta try this. 

Basic Southern Cornbread

Ingredients -

1 egg, beaten
1 1/3 c milk (buttermilk is even better )
1/4 c oil or melted shortening
2 c Gladiola Buttermilk Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
butter....real butter!

Directions -

1. Heat oven to 450.  Grease a 9-inch skillet or 9-inch square pan (cast iron skillet is the best); place in oven to heat. 
2. In large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. 
3. Pour batter into hot greased pan. 
4. Bake at 450 for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve and enjoy with real butter.

Yeild - 8 servings
Calories per serving - roughly 232 per slice - before you add butter 

Tips - If batter seems too thick, add a little more milk. 

           *  Recipe can be baked in muffin cups or cornsticks pan.  Grease  12 muffin cups or cornsticks pan; place in oven to heat.  Fill muffin cups or cornsticks pan 2/3 full.  Bake at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Sometimes, I like to add some shredded cheddar cheese, a little bit of kernel corn, and a little diced jalapeno for "Mexican" cornbread.  Hubby likes it when I just add shredded cheddar. 
***Just don't add sugar!  If you add sugar you've made cake; it's no longer cornbread!  I think it actually may be a sin to add sugar to cornbread.  Just sayin'. 

Ingredients

The batter.....we're gettin' there.

I just love my cornbread skillet.
It makes 8 perfect slices!