A Lodge Recipe Crosses the Pond

So... a few months ago, I posted a recipe of Dad's Mexican Cornbread recipe (or at least his version of someone's original).  I think Jaime's made Chicken Fried Steak (another Lodge staple menu item) so it was up to me to create the Cornbread.

First, finding cornbread mix was a happy fluke.  Safeway has a diligent crew of stockers that move soon-to-expire goods onto a shelf unit near the Bakery.  I can't go in there without a gander at what's cheap.  Some stuff, like Starbuck's Fraps-in-a-bottle can run 4JD... or you can wait til they start to expire and grab 'em for 1.5JD.  Thus, I found the elusive cornbread mix in a recent foraging activity.  Some chilis and creamed corn and I was ready to recreate Lodge heaven.

Once home I realized the main ingredient to this recipe is Grammie's massive cast iron skillet.  I called around, but couldn't find one quickly.  There was some arms-crossed pondering as I skulked about in the kitchen for a bit and finally decided to put all my chips on a thin crockery dish well lathered with olive oil (instead of the requisite bacon drippings; also elusive, but for cultural reasons requiring another post).

I preheated the dish, I mixed and I layered.  I waited the 45 minutes.  I held my breath (not really, but I needed the literary pause here for suspense) as I pulled out the most perfect looking Mexican Cornbread I could imagine.

Happiness ensued with a side of black-eyed peas.