Iron Skillet Cornbread

Whenever I make ham, my family pretty much knows that beans are in their immediate future. What better way to use up a hambone then to cook up some beans or bean soup? The beans are riduculously easy and good, but the true star of today's breakfast (that's right, this was breakfast) was the cruchy bottomed, tender and fabulous cornbread.

This is a recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon and it is the best cornbread I have ever had. A cast iron skillet is a must for this recipe. It's really what makes it. Well, that and the butter that you melt in it.

Skillet-Sizzled Buttermilk Cornbread:

1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1cup unbleached all-pyurpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar (you decide how sweet you want it)
1/4 cup mild vegetable oil such as corn or peanut (I omit this and it still turns out great)
Pam cooking spray
2 to 4 tablespoons butter

*Preheat oven to 375
*In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt
*In another small bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk
*In third bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar to taste, and the oil, then whisk into the buttermilk
*Spray an 8 or 9 inch skillet over medium high heat, add butter and heat until the butter melts and is just starting to sizzle. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom and the sides
*Add the wet ingredients to the dry and quickly stir together, using only as many strokes as needed to combine.
*Scrape the batter into the hot, buttery skillet and immdiately put the skillet in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
*Cut into wedges to serve