Put shortening in cast iron skillet in 400 degree oven. Mix dry ingredients and honey. Mix in buttermilk and egg. Pour heated shortening into the batter and stir.

Pour batter into heated pan and bake in 400 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes.

Mix flour, cornmeal, salt and water until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 12 hours.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray outside of bowl with cooking spray; place upside down in 15x10x1-inch pan.

Shape dough into 2 balls. Roll each ball on lightly floured surface with rolling pin until 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle with sesame seed; gently roll seed into dough. Shape 1 dough, seed side down, over bowl, pleating if necessary. Place remaining dough for cracker bread, seed side up, on cookie sheet lined with cooking parchment paper.

Bake basket 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven.

Set oven control to broil. Broil dough for cracker bread with top 6 to 8 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes; turn over and broil 3 to 5 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Remove basket from bowl. Break cracker bread into pieces. Fill basket with cracker bread and fruit and cheese, if desired.

4 eggs
4 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons corn oil
4 cups yellow corn meal
1 Tablespoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons baking soda
2 teaspoons sage, rubbed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar (more or less, to taste)
dash of pepper

Grease 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk and corn oil with a fork to blend. In another bowl, toss all dry ingredients until blended. Stir into buttermilk mixture just until mixed, pour into greased pan. Bake on lowest rack in oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes more, or until bread just begins to pull away from sides of pan; turn out onto wire rack. Cool thoroughly.

Corn Bread Stuffing

9 Tablespoon butter, softened, divided for use
1 lb onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped fresh
corn bread, from above recipe
1/4 cup turkey or chicken broth

One day ahead: Melt 4 Tablespoon butter in heavy skillet and sauté onions slowly about 15 minutes. Add I Tablespoon butter and the celery and sauté 10 minutes. Add parsley and remove from heat; cool and place in airtight container in refrigerator.

Day of dinner: Bring turkey and all stuffing ingredients to room temperature. Crumble corn bread into a large mixing bowl and stir in onion­/celery mixture. Melt remaining 4 Tablespoons butter and drizzle over stuffing, tossing lightly. Sprinkle with just enough broth to moisten and mix lightly again. Makes approximately 4 quarts.

NOTE: If you have any extra stuffing, refrigerate until about 2 hours before dinner. Bake in casserole dish in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.

Bring Sourdough Starter to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour and yeast; set aside. In a saucepan, heat and stir water, sugar, margarine or butter, and salt just till warm (120 to 130 degrees) and margarine almost melts. Add to flour mixture. Add Sourdough Starter. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double (45 to 60 minutes).

Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape each half of dough into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly to 6 inches in diameter. With a sharp knife, make crisscross slashes about 1/4 inch deep across the tops of the loaves. Cover and let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 30 minutes).

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or till bread tests done (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning). Cool on a wire rack. Makes 2 loaves.

Sour Dough Starter
1 pkg. active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar or honey

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water. Stir in the remaining water, flour, and sugar or honey. Stir till smooth. Cover the bowl with 100% cotton cheesecloth. Let stand at room temperature (75 to 85 degrees) for 5-10 days or till the mixture has a sour fermented aroma, stirring 2 or 3 time each day. (Fermentation time depends upon the room temperature: a warmer room hastens fermentation.)

When fermented, transfer Sourdough Starter to a 1-quart jar. Cover with the cheesecloth and refrigerate. Do not cover jar with a tight-fitting lid. If starter isn’t used within 10 days, stir in 1 teaspoon sugar or honey. Repeat every 10 days till used.

To use starter, bring desired amount to room temperature. For every 1 cup used, stir 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup water, and 1 teaspoon sugar or honey into the remaining amount. Cover and let stand at room temperature at least 1 day or till bubbly. Then refrigerate for later use. Makes about 2 cups.

Combine 1 cup corn meal, milk, eggs, soda, bacon drippings and corn in a bowl. Mix and set aside.

Saute ground beef until lightly browned, drain thoroughly and set aside.

Sprinkle remaining corn meal in a greased 10-1/2 inch iron skillet. Sprinkle evenly with beef, top with onion, then cheese. Add peppers evenly on top. Pour remaining batter over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until golden brown.

6-8 servings.

*If you are making this gluten-free, be sure to check the label on the creamed corn to make sure it has no wheat gluten in the ingredients.

Mix first 9 ingredients plus ¼ cup grated cheese in mixing bowl. Add bacon drippings.

Heat iron skillet, grease well. Pour in batter and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in 350 degree over for 35 minutes.