Double Cornbread

"I once read cooking is something you do for your family. But when you’re alone you sometimes have to treat yourself like family. And now that my apartment’s redolent with the smell of food it feels more like a home than a box where I hang my hat."

From the book, Waiter Rant by Steve Dublanica

The quote above is perfect for how I was feeling. I was eating some chili mixed with pasta, something I eat when I can't think of what to eat, and started craving cornbread. I love cornbread. I was alone, so it would be just for me. Did I really want to take the time to make a batch of cornbread just for myself? My husband doesn't even really like cornbread, so it would be just me eating the leftovers also.

Why is it that if someone else, say my husband, asked me to make it for him, done. Of course I'd make it for him. Why don't I have the same consideration for me?

So as a declaration to myself, as to say, "I am as deserving as another", I made the cornbread.

It hit the spot.

And I was happy.

ready to go into the oven

This is my favorite cornbread recipe of all time. It's full of corn flavor and exceptionally moist. I've been making it for years. It comes from an old Mc Calls cookbook from the 60's I found at a Los Angeles thrift store. While living in L.A. pursuing my acting career, I didn't cook often. But every few months I would turn to this cookbook for recipes of old fashioned favorites like this.

I love this cornbread recipe so much I haven't made another since.

So if you are craving something and it's only for you, I recommend making it.

You're worth it.

Double Cornbread

makes one 9 inch square pan

adapted from a recipe from Mc Calls Cookbook

Ingredients

1 cup (150 g.) all purpose flour

1 cup (163 g.)  yellow cornmeal

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup (47 g.) sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (250 ml) milk

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 can 15 oz. (430 g.) cream style corn

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit, 220 Celsius, Gas Mark 7. Grease a 9x9 inch square pan.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar together, set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the milk, melted butter and corn. Add the flour mixture and stir only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Don't over mix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Or until it passes a toothpick test.

Serve warm with butter and honey.

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse

"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward."

~Terri Guillemets

 

 

Oh I love Spring. Strawberries are definitely my favorite spring time food, and this mousse is one of my favorite things to do with those lovely berries.

Years ago a friend of mine and I made this, and her boyfriend ate so much of it, it gave him a stomach ache. He immediately went to walk it off. I remember it so vividly because I had never heard of someone going to walk after over eating to help him stop feeling that way. It makes sense I guess. But for me the last thing I want to do after being stuffed, is walking, I'm a lay on the couch kind of girl. That's probably why I struggle with my weight. Maybe I need to take up the practice of "walking it off".

This is a cinch to make, I mean really easy. It's a no cook recipe, so it's perfect for warm weather.

Only 5 ingredients too!

yum

adding the whipped cream

after folding in the whipped cream

If you are making this for eating after dinner, make sure you make it at least a few hours ahead. It needs to get cold and set up completely.

And if you eat too much, go for a walk, I hear it helps.


Want another great, easy spring time pudding recipe?

Lemon Cream Pudding






Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse

makes 4 servings

Ingredients

8 oz (224 g.)  package cream cheese
10 oz. - 2 cups, ( 283 g.) fresh strawberries, stems removed, washed and sliced
1/2 cup (125 ml) 4 oz. heavy cream
1/2 cup (55g.) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

more sweetened whipped cream for topping, if desired
more fresh strawberries for topping,  if desired

Directions

Place cream cheese, fresh strawberries, vanilla and powdered sugar in a food processor or blender. Puree them together until smooth. Then place the cream cheese mixture in a large bowl.

Whip the heavy cream just until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

Spoon the mousse into individual bowls, glasses or cups. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Top the individual servings with sweetened whipped cream and a fresh strawberry.

Carrot Cake Breakfast Rice

"Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can't taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie."

 ~Astrid Alauda

I like eating different grains for breakfast. Why just stick to oatmeal? This breakfast dish is named, Carrot Cake Breakfast Rice because it has all the flavors of carrot cake, carrots, raisins, nuts, and cinnamon. But it doesn't really taste like carrot cake.

But it is a delicious way to get vegetables into your diet in the a.m.

I saw these exquisite carrots at the Co-op and wanted to eat them.

I don't recommend using these purple carrots for your rice. Sure, they're gorgeous, but the purple color on the outside bleeds into the liquid turning the rice kind of a muddy color. The inside is really white so the carrot itself doesn't read as purple in the finished dish.

This rice was made using only orange and yellow carrots. I used golden raisins and pecans, but regular raisins or currants can be used, and any nut you prefer. I do loved the raisins in this. They plump up and lend a lovely sweetness.

Want something else for breakfast?

Banana Breakfast Cookies

Easy Blueberry Cream Scones

 

Carrot Raisin Breakfast Rice

serves 4

Ingredients for rice

1 cup (214 g.) white rice- If you want to use brown rice, just know that it will probably take longer to cook

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) boiling water

1 1/2 cups (115 g.) shredded raw carrots

1/2 cup (77 g.) raisins

For after it's cooked

1/3 cup (35 g.) chopped pecans

1/2-1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup (82 g.) brown sugar, or to taste

milk for topping, if desired

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 4.

Rinse the rice with water using fine mesh strainer. Place the rice, boiling water, raisins and carrots in an oven safe container covered with a lid, and stir. (If you don't have a lid, then cover tightly with foil.)

Cook for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

When done, stir in the cinnamon, brown sugar and half of the pecans. Top each serving with the remaining nuts and some milk (if desired.)

Pretty Pink Cupcakes

"I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert."

~Jason Love

I made these cupcakes for a friend who is having a bake sale to raise money for Race for The Cure.

These are my favorite white cupcakes. And they really are.  If I told you how many I have eaten this morning, I think you'd believe me.

It's Spring!

We know it's Spring when the deer are in our yard everyday. Yesterday we saw 7.

These are so delicious and super moist. Plus the cupcakes themselves are a cinch to make.

Find the recipe here, My Favorite White Cupcakes.

Looking for more cupcake recipes?

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

Super Moist Red Velvet Cupcakes

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Meyer Lemon Marmalade with Irish Soda Bread

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."

-Alfred E. Neuman

I love making jam. I feel such a sense of accomplishment whenever I do any canning or preserving. I love the idea of being able to enjoy fruit, even in a jelly, at it's peak, from a jar. What a great feeling to enjoy the bright spring flavor of Meyer lemon marmalade in the depths of winter.

 When I got these wonderful Meyer lemons I knew I was going to preserve them somehow since I love them so. I've made 2 batches so far of this delicious marmalade.  This stuff really retains the bright flavor of these delicious lemons. It is wonderfully both tart and sweet.

Meyer lemons have enough pectin in them so no commercial pectin is needed. The only ingredients are lemons and sugar. The sugar helps it set, so it is a crucial ingredient.

I like to juice the lemons and then cut up the peels. I find this much easier than thinly slicing the lemons themselves. Whenever I try to thinly slice a Meyer lemon (no matter how sharp my knife is) it just squishes. There is so much juice inside, I lose juice on the cutting board. I tried using a mandoline, loss of juice with that method too.

When making any type of jam that doesn't use commercial pectin it can be tricky determining when it's done. The reason is there are many variables. When fruit is over ripe, it has less pectin. When it is under ripe, more.

But once you get the hang of it, it will come easy to you. Don't let this discourage you from making homemade jam.

Looking for more jam recipes? 

Satsuma Mandarin Marmalade

 Pepper Jelly 

Wine Jelly

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

This recipe only works for Meyer lemons due to their sweetness and thin skins, don't replace regular lemons in this recipe, better to find a recipe made for regular lemons.

This recipe makes about 4 -half pint jars

Ingredients

1.5 lbs (597 g.) Meyer Lemons (about 6 lemons)

4 cups (1 liter) water

4 cups (778 g.) sugar

Directions

Halve the lemons and juice them, reserving the peel and discarding the seeds and white pith inside the lemon. Pile up some of the peels, and very thinly slice them. I mean slice them as thin as you can get them. Then cut them in small, about 2 inch, pieces.

Place the juice, water, and peels in a large non reactive (not aluminum) pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium high, simmer and reduce until it has reduced to 5 cups. This takes 20-30 minutes.

Now add the sugar, stir and bring it back to a boil. Place a small plate in the freezer. Cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes until it has reached the gelling point. This is going to be a little over 200 Fahrenheit, degrees Fahrenheit, 93 degrees Celsius. I have read that the gelling point should be reached at 220 degrees Fahrenheit, 104 degrees Celsius, in my opinion that's too high. At that point I've had marmalade's be much too thick. Better to test it on the frozen plate. Place a spoonful of marmalade on the cold plate then place in the freezer. When it's cold, if you run your finger through it and it stays in place, it's done. If it's still liquid and runny, then it needs to be cooked longer. While doing the freezer test take it off the heat for a few minutes.

If it still hasn't gelled, cook it for 5 minutes longer, then test again.

This will keep many months in the refrigerator.

To keep it for years, to preserve it, ladle into hot jars, and process using the hot water method used for high acid foods for 10 minutes.

Or you may freeze it.

Fresh Clam Chowder Pot Pie and a Seattle Trip

"There is nothing better on a cold wintry day than a properly made pot pie."

 ~Craig Claiborne

We live about 2 hours south of Seattle, and 2 hours north of Portland. When we want a city fix we go to one of these wonderful places. This time it was Seattle for my husbands birthday. We visited the Seattle Museum of History and Industry,  (his choice.) It was pretty fun and interesting.

We also stopped at Pike Place Market, a place I can never get enough of. We picked up some fresh clams for me to turn into this clam chowder pot pie.

rinsing my fresh clams

On a recent visit to Vancouver, BC, we saw a clam chowder pot pie being sold at a pie place called A La Mode in the Granville Market . My husband and I looked at each other and said, "Genius !" Alas, we couldn't eat one since we were full from lunch. So I walked away with only the idea.



fresh clams at Pike Place Market

 I took a clam chowder soup recipe and made it a little thicker. First you cook the fresh clams with some water and veggies to make a broth. This broth, though only cooked briefly until the clams open, is extremely fresh, bright and flavorful. A much better flavor than canned clams or bottled clam juice would provide.

Yes, the fresh clams are amazing, but not something I will do everyday, due to availability and expense. But it sure is nice to have them when you do.

For pot pies I'm usually a 2 crust type of girl, but for this I used puff pastry for a top crust only, due to the fact that the clams are already cooked when they go into the soup portion of this dish. I didn't want them to have to be recooked for too long when they go in the oven. With the puff pastry top, it's only 15 minutes.

The end result is a delicious, rich, flavorful, and fresh as the sea tasting pot pie. We devoured these babies.

The throwing fish guys at Pike Place Market

Cake Spy Shop

We also visited the Cake Spy Shop while in Seattle. I always enjoy reading Cakespy's blog and when she announced she was opening up a store I knew I wanted to check it out next time I was in the area. While I was there I was lucky enough to meet the head Cakespy herself, Jessie Oleson . This is a really fun store stocked with artwork by Jessie, as well as other artist's creations. You can also go to her online shop and see what she's got.

I went away with one of her prints that now lives in my kitchen.

 

If you are using fresh clams, you will be making a broth that makes more than what is called for here. I froze the leftover broth to use at a later date.

New England Clam Chowder Pot Pie

This made me 3 -1 1/2 cup (350 ml) bowls

Ingredients for clams

If using fresh clams

4 lbs fresh clams in shells

plus one chopped onion, 1/2 of a chopped red bell pepper and 1 or 2 pieces of celery chopped, for the broth

If using canned clams

 If using canned clams, then 1-10-oz. (283 g) can whole clams (chopped) and 1.5 cups (350 ml) bottled clam juice, or just use the juice from the can with water to make 1.5 cups, although bottled is better.

Ingredients for soup


1/2 cup (80 g.) chopped onion

1.5 lb. (600 g.) russet potatoes peeled and diced

2 Tbs. (16g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
4 pieces of bacon, uncooked
Salt and pepper

For the top
 
1 sheet puff pastry (1/2 of a 17.3 oz. (490 g.) pkg.)
1 egg beaten with a little water for an egg wash
 
Directions
 
Place the puff pastry on the counter to thaw. It needs to be at room temperature.
 
To prepare the clams if using fresh- First rinse the clams well. If your fish monger told  you they are already cleaned then great. (Mine did), I still gave them a good rinse.
 
Place the clams in a large pot and cover them with 2 inches of water. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and celery. Bring it to a boil. When it comes to a boil, give the pot a good shake. Turn the heat to low and cook clams another 30 seconds or so. Remove from the heat and remove all of the clams that have opened. (At this point all of mine had opened.) But if yours didn't, then put any clams that haven't opened back in the pan with the lid on, cook another 2 minutes. Remove the opened clams, and discard the ones that haven't opened.
 
Remove the clams from the shells using a spoon, dig them out of their shells and chop them. 
 
Strain the liquid that remains, discard the vegetables from it. This is your broth. You will only need 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) of this. Freeze the leftover broth for another use.
 
Cook the bacon in another pan. (not the pan you will be using to make the soup.) Cook it till it's crisp. Save the fat.
 
Now make a roux using 2 Tablespoons of the top (clear) part of the bacon fat, (not the brown bits on the bottom, this will turn your chowder brown/grey. If that doesn't bother you, then cool, add it.)
 
Add the bacon fat to a large pot (the one that you will be using to make your chowder) saute the chopped onion in the bacon fat until it has softened. Add the diced potatoes and saute until they have been covered by the fat. Now add the 2 Tablespoons of flour and stir it covering the onions and the potatoes.
 
Pour in the 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) clam broth (or clam juice if using bottled or canned) bring it to a boil and stir it. When it has come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover it and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
 
While that is boiling chop the 4 pieces of bacon.
 
Now stir it and add the milk, cream, the chopped clams and the chopped bacon.
 
Heat it up for a few minutes, and add salt and pepper to taste.
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 200 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 6.
 
Now ladle the soup into oven proof soup bowls.
 
Place puff pastry on a floured surface. Cut squares to go just about an inch over the shape of your bowls. Brush the egg wash over the puff pastry, this gives it that beautiful color.
 
Place the bowls on a cookie sheet and pop them into the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry has puffed completely and is golden brown and delicious.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat."

-Alex Levine

First I want to say I know this is late, for today is St. Patricks Day! I wanted to post these earlier in the week so perhaps one could potentially make these on this day of celebrating all that is Irish. But alas, life took over, and today is the first chance I got. But this is a great coffee flavored cupcake that can be used for other occasions as well.




 
I love Irish coffee. It brings back great memories from times spent at The Buena Vista in San Francisco. They are famous for their Irish coffee. It's fun to sit at the bar during busy times watching them making so many of them all lined up on the bar at once. Those bartenders know what they are doing.
 
 

I wanted to create a cupcake to honor that wonderful drink of coffee, sugar, cream and of course, Irish whiskey.

These cupcakes are delicious, (I just ate one) and wow! They are yummy. I took my favorite White Cupcake recipe and swapped out strong coffee (and a little instant coffee) for the water.

"As you ramble through life, whatever be your goal;

Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole."

-Irish proverb

I hope you have a wonderful St. Patricks Day!

Other Irish recipes you may like:

Luck of The Irish Cookies

Irish Soda Bread

 

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

makes 36 cupcakes

Ingredients

2 cups (1 lb) (454 g.) butter

2 cups (473 ml) strong coffee

1 Tablespoon instant coffee - (optional) this depends on how strong your coffee is, and how strong of coffee flavor you want the cupcakes to be. If you only use strong coffee,(and not any instant coffee) you will get a good coffee flavor. I used French Roast and brewed it strong. But if your coffee is weak, then you probably should add some instant.

4 cups (403 g.) all-purpose flour 

3 cups (583 g.) sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup (122 g.) sour cream

1 Tablespoon plus 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For Frosting

this makes enough to generously frost 36 cupcakes with about the amount I have on them. If you aren't going to pipe it on, and you want less than the amount than I've used, I'd cut back to 2 cups cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 TBS whiskey.

3 cups (1 1/2 pints) (750 ml) heavy cream
3/4 cup (150 g.) sugar

3 + Tablespoons whiskey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 Celsius or Gas Mark 4. In a large saucepan bring the butter, coffee and instant coffee (if using) to a boil. Remove from heat and add sugar, stir it till dissolved, then add sour cream, eggs and extracts. Stir until well combined. Add the flour, salt and baking soda then stir until well mixed.

Pour the batter into a large container with a pour spout, like a large measuring cup. Pour the batter into muffin tins lined with cupcake wrappers. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes on wire racks.

Directions for Frosting

Whip cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer. When peaks start to form, pour in sugar slowly while mixer is still going. Whip until stiff peaks form. Don't over mix. Add 3 Tablespoons of the whiskey. See if you want a stronger whiskey flavor, If you do, then add the another tablespoon. Taste it again, add more by the tablespoon if you think it needs it. I liked mine at about 4-5 Tablespoon but I could see how if you don't like the taste of whiskey so much you might just want a mild flavor.

Frost cupcakes when they are totally cool.