Custard Filled Cornbread

So, this is a recipe I ended up using for my Menu Project at school.  I used it as a dessert, with a scoop of homemade Jalapeno Ice Cream (which I can post if there's any interest) but I think it works well on it's own or with anything you would normally serve with cornbread - it's definitely not a sweet cornbread, but it's creamy and yummy.  I think a great variation would be to add a chopped, fresh jalapeno to the batter for a bit of a kick if you wanted.  It's great warm out of the oven, or even cold out of the fridge the second day.  Drizzle a little honey on and enjoy!

Serves 12 to 16

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernals

1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9x2 inch round baking pan and place in the oven to preheat.  Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk eggs and butter in large bowl.  Whisk in sugar, salt, milk, vinegar and vanilla.  Add flour mixture, and whisk until just smooth - don't over-mix.  Stir in corn kernels.

Transfer batter to heated pan.  Pour cream into center of batter - DO NOT STIR.  Bake until pale golden brown and set, about 50 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.  Unmold, and serve warm.

Macaroons

ingredients:

3 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp pure almond extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 pkg (14 oz) sweetened flaked coconut

directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lone a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, almond extract and salt until frothy.  Add coconut, mix to combine. 

3.  Using your hands, shape mixture into mounds, each equal to 2 level tablespoons; place 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheet (macaroons will not spread).

4.  Bake until lightly golden, 35-40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Sore in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

(i served this with mango sorbet as dessert, yum.)

Broiled Soy-Glazed Pork with Asian Vegetables and Rice

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups long grain white rice

8 oz snow peas, trimmed

2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on the diagonal

2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced

1 bunch scallions, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 3-inch lengths

2 T. vegetable oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/4 lbs) halved crosswise

1/4 cup honey

directions:

1.  Cook rice according to package instructions; cover, and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat.  On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss snow peas, carrots, bell peppers, adn scallions with oil and 2 T. soy sauce; season with salt and pepper.

2. Place pork on top of vegetables, and season with salt, pepper and 1 T. honey.  Broil until pork and vegetables begin to char, 6-8 minutes.  Toss vegetables and turn pork; drizzle pork with 1 T. honey.

3.  Continue to broil until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers 145 degrees adn vegetables are charred in spots, 6-8 minutes, tossing veggies once more.  Remove from broiler.  Cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. 

4.  In a small bowl mix together remaining soy sauce and honey (i made quite a bit extra) to make the serving sauce.  Thinly slice pork, and serve with veggies, rice and sauce. 

Beef Tacos with Radish and Avocado Salsa

ingredients:

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cubed

6 large red radishes, ends trimmed, halved, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 T. chopped pickled jalapeno chile

2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1 lime cut into 8 wedges for garnish

1 tsp olive oil

coarse salt and pepper

1 lb skirt steak

1 T. ground cumin

8 corn tortillas (6 inch)

(i made double the salsa recipe and we ate all of it)

directions:

1. Pour 1 T. olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Rub skirt steak with cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook 5-6 min. on each side.  It should still be a little red.  then transfer to foil and wrap tightly.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  When steak has rested dice into cubes. (I used kitchen scissors for this, it worked much better than a knife).

2. Warm tortillas in a pan until pliable.  stack between paper towels to keep warm. 

3.  Place steak in shell, garnish with salsa and lime.  

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 14 oz. can non-marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 cup mayonaise
7 + drops tabasco sauce
dash of salt
dash of cayenne pepper

Mix ingredients together. Spread in small, shallow casserole dish or pie plate. Bake at 350˚, uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve with crackers or baguette slices.

Bruschetta

1 loaf french baguette, cut into 3/4” thick slices
6 cloves minced garlic
3 diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
3/4 c extra virgin olive oil
parmesan cheese sprinkles

Mix together the tomato, garlic, basil, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and let marinate. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly coat one side of each slice of bread with remaining olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Toast for 7 minutes. (if cooking on the grill, place over medium heat for 4-6 minutes). Spread with tomato/basil mixture on the oiled side of bread and cheese before serving.

up and running

so sisters (and anyone else who reads this blog that wants to contribute). i am always wondering what to make for dinner and i thought this would be a fun place to share ideas and recipes.  let's try it out and see how it goes.