Country Rustic Cornbread

This recipe was adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook. It's a fantastic recipe, especially with some basic tweaks. It's easily converted to gluten free. I suggest using a fresh ground cornmeal. There are so many local people making cornmeal- I'm sure you can find one in your area- and support the small farmer!

Make 8 Slices of Cornbread

Ingredients:
3/4 C. All purpose flour (gluten free flour option- use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1), or for a heavier crumblier bread- you can skip flour completerly and use cornmeal or corn flour.
1 C. Cornmeal
3-4 Tbsp Sugar, brown sugar, or even honey
2 1/2 Tsp Baking powder (increase to 3 if using GF or straight cornmeal)
1/2 Tsp Salt

1 C. Milk (can use butter milk or even substitute 1/2 with cream for a richer flavor)
2 Eggs
1/4 C (1/2 stick) Butter
1-2 Tsp Vanilla extract optional (gives it a smooth and sweet warmth)

Instructions: 

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grab a cast iron skillet and put your 1/2 stick of butter in it, allowing it to melt completely in the pan. The pan should be nice and hot- and the butter sizzling. Watch it, and make sure the butter doesn't overheat!! You can wait on this step until ingredients are mixed- if you're nervous!

2) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, waiting to add the melted butter.

3) Pull the skillet out of the hot oven and add the hot butter to your mix, set your pan on a heating pad. Quickly mix the melted butter into your mix, and pour the whole thing into your cast iron pan. You will start to see the edges rise up- this is a good thing!

4) Put the pan back in the oven asap (want to keep that skillet hot!). Bake for 20+ minutes or until golden brown. Slice it up and serve warm with butter and honey! Yum!