Some tweaks I like: I usually only use about 1/4 cup total shortening – half butter (on the pan) and half bacon grease (in the bread). YUM. I also like to throw in a cup of frozen roasted corn kernels 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar because I like my cornbread sweet.

SO GOOD!

My hubby hails from Texas, and living there now I have come to the realization that beans and cornbread are a basic diet staple. Hubby prefers a real dense corny bread, whereas I like a light and fluffy cornbread… and this recipe marries the two wonderfully! It is very corny but yet comes out fluffy enough to please me… and I will cook/bake anything in an iron skillet so that really pulled me in as nothing done in a seasoned skillet ever comes out bad.

We use a course cornmeal instead of the basic stuff, because we like the texture, and sometimes I add a 1/2 can of creamed corn soup to the bread recipe to give it even more heartiness. I use a medium size skillet so my cornbread is quite thick as I like it that way.

So even if you want to try your own beans, purple hull peas here in Texas, try out this cornbread recipe and you won’t be sad. Mine turns out really dark, more brown than golden, but it is still soft and wonderful inside.

Oh, and after dinner if you have any leftover bread then drizzle some honey over a piece and eat it for dessert. to DIE for.