
For my 18th birthday, my beloved Nana gifted me a cast iron cornbread pan and a bag of corn meal. If this wasn't a rite of passage into southern womanhood, I’m not sure what is.
This is what Nana says to do:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Take your seasoned cast iron pan and coat the bottom with oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of White Lily Self Rising Corn Meal, 1/2 cup of White Lily Self Rising Flour, 2 Tablespoons of oil, and enough buttermilk to get your mixture to pancake batter consistency. (You will want to add the buttermilk in small amounts, stirring as you go, so you know when the consistency is right.)
Pour your mixture into the oiled pan and place it in the preheated oven.
Bake for about 3o minutes, or until the top starts to brown.
I know this recipe may seem simple, but I have managed to destroy it quite a few times. I have since improved my cornbread skills, but I still allow Nana to bring the cornbread to family dinners (She makes enough for me to take some home too!). No matter how hard I try, it will never be as good as Nana's cornbread. Try the recipe for yourself and see if you have Nana's secret touch. If you get it right, you'll know!
Do you have what it takes to make a delicious Southern meal? If you don't, we do!