Stuart's Super Awesome Cornbread of Wonder and Amazery

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. 2. Put oil into skillet, being sure to coat entire inner surface of
3. skillet, and then place skillet into warming oven. (This achieves 2
4. goals: The oil is thinned prior to adding it to the batter, and the
5. skillet is already hot when you add the complete mixture, ensuring a
6. crisp outer edge.)
7. 3. Mix together all dry ingredients. Mix in the milk. Mix in the eggs.
8. 4. Making sure the skillet and oil are quite hot, but not smoking
9. (about 5 minutes in the warming oven), steadily pour and stir in the
10. hot oil into the rest of the batter. You want to stir as the oil is
11. being poured, or you may risk burning the batter. "...tastes like
12. buurrrrrnning!"
13. 5. Pour the batter into the now hot pan. If you're lucky, it will
14. spatter as it hits the hot iron.
15. 6. Throw it in the oven. Wait about 20-24 minutes. The top
16. should be golden-brown and cracking a bit from rising. When you pull
17. it out, put a knife or toothpick into the center to make sure it's
18. quite done (these things can fool you). The knife or pick should come
19. out clean.
20. Be sure to set your butter out 10 minutes or so before serving, so it
21. softens up.