southern cornbread

My mom made cornbread just about every other night for dinner when I was growing up, but I never learned the trade just like she made it. Dad makes some good cornbread too, but he "eyeballs" everything so this is a recipe that tastes pretty similar:

2-4 tablespoons shortening

2 cups Martha White self-rising cornmeal mix

2 eggs

1/4 sugar (to rise, not to sweeten)

1 cup buttermilk (or enough to make a creamy batter)

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Put the shortening in a cast-iron skillet and place on medium heat or in the oven.
   
3. Combine the cornmeal and flour, then mix in the egg and milk. Add water slowly, until the mixture is pourable (like thick pancake batter).
   
4. Take the hot pan from the oven, pour some of the melted shortening (a tablespoon or more) into the batter, then pour the batter into the hot pan.
   
5. Place back in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the outer crust is golden brown.