SKILLET CORNBREAD

So, yesterday a friend called and invited me to his house for lunch. He had made a big pot of beans and some cornbread. And you all know how I like cornbread and a big bowl of beans! Well, I arrived at his house at 1p.m. as he asked me to. 

As I was let into his house, he was on the phone. No biggie. He finished his call, hung up the phone, and one of his sons showed up at the house with one of his friends. We were all going to eat lunch. Or so I thought. His son had picked up his friend after getting off work so his son decides that he needs to take a shower first.

So off he goes to shower. Meanwhile, I'm starting to get a little more hungry. We then went into the kitchen to have a seat. There was nothing on the stove and I didn't smell anything cooking. My friend and his son's friend started talking as we sat at the table.

After about 45 minutes or so, I broke in on the conversation to ask if we are going to eat. My friend said "Sure, in a couple of minutes." So I grabbed a cold can of Mountain Dew out of the fridge. I saw this big Tupperware bowl with beans in the fridge. Now, with some friends, you can make yourself right at home and help yourself  to a drink, or chips, and even a sandwich now and then.

Well my friend is just such a friend. I got that big old bowl of beans out of the fridge and saw that he had made his cornbread in a loaf pan. So, we were coming up on 2 hours. My stomach was talking, growling, and making all kinds of racket. I asked again if we were going to eat.

He says that WE need to make some more cornbread first. He wanted me to show him how to cook it in a cast-iron skillet. If I had known that I was going to be doing some cooking, I would have started over a hour ago. The skillet was big. And he brought out this little box of cornbread mix. It would of been just enough to make one big pancake of cornbread about a half inch or less thick.

I told him he either had to have a smaller skillet or another box of mix. We used two boxes of mix. He did not have any bacon grease for the skillet! (What?!!!) So we used olive oil. A nice thin coat. Whipped up the batter, poured it in the skillet, and placed it into the oven.

After about 25 minutes or so it was done. My friend just could not get over how easy it was. I mean there is not much for it to be difficult.

I'm used to doing cornbread in a skillet. He is used to using a bread pan. It all comes out tasting great. The beans we reheated. White beans with onion, dried celery flakes, and cooked ham, added just before they were done. I add the ham with the beans before cooking when I make them. It's all in how you were raised and what you grew up with.

Lunch was good. The company was also good. Later, we all started to have a rootin' tootin' good time. Like I said, it's all in how you were raised.