Southern Cornbread

Lets talk Cornbread......Not the sweet kind that you may eat up North, but the succulent Southern kind, that is made with no sugar, or hardly any sugar, baked in a pan that is slathered ( yes i said slathered lol) with bacon grease that makes the tastiest crust.  As a kid growing up in Texas, we ate ALOT of cornbread. It tastes great with soups, stews, a big ol pot of pinto beans, or black eye peas, etc. If you havent tried it with a huge frosty glass of buttermilk, then you have no idea what you are missing. The smells that come out of a southern kitchen while supper is being prepared, are the best aromas on earth. Baking this cornbread, will give you a little piece of that heaven. So get your paper and pen handy, and jot down this quick, but oh so delishous recipe, and bring a little South to your table tonight. 

Southern cornbread

2 cups white self - rising cornmeal
1/2-TSP baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
2-cups buttermilk
2- tablespoons bacon grease (or vegetable oil)
#6 cast iron skillet

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place both tablespoons of fat of choice in a #6 cast iron skillet (bacon grease taste the best but vegetable oil or shortening works with a little added salt) Put
skillet in oven to preheat, Combine cornmeal, baking soda, eggs and buttermilk in bowl.
Whisk together until well blended. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and pour grease from skillet into batter. Pour batter into skillet which will sizzle and may splatter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes