Aunt Ann's Cornbread

Aunt Ann's Cornbread
1:23pm Saturday, May 5


Ingredients:

(You don't really measure out this recipe exactlah, just kinda eye it)
- Self-rising corn meal (NOT "MIX" - Martha White makes a good one,
if you can find a locally-ground self-rising corn meal that's even better)
- Buttermilk (whole if you can find it, but low fat is okay)
- Canola oil (or whatev, not olive oil, obviouslah, but it'll work in a pinch)

Directions:

Take your cast iron skillet and put a dollop of oil in the bottom and kinda swirl it around. Stick it in the oven and preheat it up to 350 degrees. This is so when you pour your batter in it'll make a nice sizzle and be a pretty golden-brown on the bottom of your pone. Take a bowl comparable to the size of the cast iron skillet you'll be cooking the pone in (cast iron is the ONLY way to go). Sprinkle out the corn meal into the bowl, about as much as you want for the size of the pone. (I like mine thin and crispy). Pour some buttermilk on top (not too much!). Stir with a fork to combine, get the lumps out. Add more if you want. The batter should be kinda runny if you want a crispy pone, dryer if you want a fluffier one. Put a small quarter-sized dollop of oil on top and stir that in. Let the batter sit a spell to make sure your oven is nice and hot. So take your hot (and I mean it's HOT) skillet out and pour the batter in the bottom. Take a moment to listen to that nice sizzle sound. Then use your fork to spread it around on the bottom and kinda make it higher on the edges. Stick it back in the oven, set the timer for 40 minutes. When it beeps, check and see if it's golden brown on the top. If it is as crispy-lookin as you desire, take it out and let it rest for a minute or two. Slice like a pie and serve with buttah. Goes well with some pintos or black eyed peas, floating on top so it can absorb the flavah. Is also a nice accompaniment to a heart soup or stew like Ugh's Redfish Gumbo. ;)