My Mother's Cornbread by Jaybird's Mama

 This recipe is from one of my dearest friend's mama from my well-worn copy of "The Friendship Collection" created for the members of University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Coast Elderhostels.  It is what where I'm from we call "High-n-Dry" Cornbread.  It's BEEYOOTEEFUL and it's also fun to make!

"My Mother's Cornbread"

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and get everything ready because this all happens VERY quickly:

• 1 1/2 cups white cornmeal (i've used yellow in a pinch)
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons "shortening" (yes, lard or crisco)

Sift dry ingredients.  Lightly beat eggs, stir together with buttermilk and add to dry ingredients.  "Batter will be thin."

Heat shortening in an iron skillet until smoking hot.  You sort of have to stand sideways to wait until you see huhWHIsps of smoke come off the skillet and you know it's ready.  Pour hot shortening in to mixture (SSSSSSSSSS ! ! !), mix quickly and pour batter quickly back in to hot skillet (ahhhh).  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

There are beautiful notes on the bottom of the cards in this recipe collection and the one at the bottom of this card says:  "If God shuts one door, He opens another -- Irish proverb"