Cornbread. A simple dish one would assume would turn out quite nicely as long as you followed the recipe. Boy, was I wrong! According to my grandma, the skillet makes all the difference. Not just any old cast iron skillet will do, either. It must be a perfectly seasoned, perfectly worn, perfectly loved cast iron skillet. This skillet of legend must be passed down from generation to generation, continually building layers of love, grease, and goodness. That, my friends, is the secret to the best cornbread this side of the Mississippi. And it is the secret to the best biscuits, too.

My Grandma, Lois

       Welcome to My Grandma's Skillet. This is my maiden post, my first ever blog post, so forgive me if it doesn't seem just right. First, some introductions. My name is Amber. I'm a first time mom to a seven month old little girl, Anniston (aka Anni). Wife to David, a hotel manager, and belly scratcher to our pound puppy, Cassie. We live in central Mississippi, where I was born and raised. My husband is a transplant from Orlando. Talk about culture shock! 

David and Me

Anniston

Cassie

       I am starting this blog as a means to chronicle my journey of learning how to cook in the south. Yes, that's right, I did not come from the womb knowing how to make the perfect pecan pie or fried chicken. In fact, my mama never really taught me how to cook. Sure, she showed me a few basics, like how to frost a cake and how to make scrambled eggs. But she herself was never taught to cook. She had to find her way as well, and has never considered herself a chef by any means.

My Mama

       So, here I am, in a Julie and Julia type of scenario, desperately wanting to learn. A few first things on my list are cornbread, skillet biscuits, chess squares, chicken and dumplings, chocolate pie, and consommé rice. Yes, these all sound very simple, but trust me, no recipe on Pinterest can replace just how Grandma used to make it. I am setting out to learn just the right way to make that magic happen.

       Along with learning my grandma's recipes, I will also be testing out Pinterest recipes that I find interesting. Want to know if that viral pumpkin spice muffin is any good before you go out and buy the ingredients? I'll be testing it out to see. This could very easily turn into a "Pinterest Fails" blog.

       I'm also considering adding a "Restaurant Review" day. Although, unless you live in Mississippi, I suppose that wouldn't be very helpful. But I promise to post lots of food porn from said restaurant! So there's that. And who knows, maybe I'll attempt to recreate the recipe, or get a back stage pass to the kitchen a la Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. Hey, that's not a bad idea. I hope to make a post every Saturday. As I begin to add more "days" like, Pinterest day, Restaurant Review Day, I will dedicate a specific day of the week for that as well.    

       I am so thrilled to be sharing this journey with you! I promise to always keep my recipe posts short and sweet and to the point. I promise to never ever air my dirty laundry. I promise to pay close attention to the comments and to send bullies packing. I promise to adhere to my posting schedule, unless something crazy happens. I promise to never sound pretentious. I promise to always give credit where credit is due. I promise to entertain, enlighten, encourage, and whatever other "en" words.

       Thank you for joining me on this voyage. I look forward to many happy, learning-filled days ahead.

Love and Cornbread,

Amber

Grandma doing what she loves, eating fried catfish.