Corn Bread Actually

This corn bread is actually bread- not the crumbly cake thing that calls itself cornbread. This is light and delicious and perfect for toast and sandwiches. A most exciting find from an artisan bread cookbook:

1 1/2 c unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 c. lukewarm water

Combine flour and yeast in a large bowl, then beat in the water. This will be a gloppy batter. Cover tightly and ferment until it is very bubbly and well risen- up to two hours.

2/3 c. lukewarm water
2 1/2 c. unbleached bread flour
1 c. plus 2 Tb cornmeal
3/4 c. fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
2 large eggs plus 1 for glaze)
2 Tb honey
1 1/2 Tb vegetable or olive oil
1 Tb salt

Add the water to the yeast mixture. Then add the flour, cornmeal, corn, 2 eggs, honey, and oil. Knead about five minutes with dough hooks in a bread mixer. Add the salt and knead 3 more minutes.
This is a soft, sticky dough.
Don't be afraid of the corn kernels! They will completely blend into the dough and you will never see them. And if you do, be happy.

Let dough rise for up to 2 hours.

Grease to bread pans. Shape two loaves. Cover and rise again for up to 2 hours.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat remaining egg until blended and brush the tops of the loaves with it. Bake breads on the bottom rack of your oven for 30 minutes, rotate and cook 30 minutes more. Remove the breads from the pans right out of the oven and cool on a rack.

Apple Crisp

They were handing out samples of this with the recipe all typed up for you at Macy's. I heart Macy's so much. It's the best grocery store I've ever been to. I'm sure we all have apple crisp recipes, but it's always fun to try another, I guess. Also, David says I don't post enough recipes, so here it is.
Mix together:
10 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 cup of white sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix separately:
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup melted butter.

Crumble oat mixture evenly over apple mixture in a 9 x 13 dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Dip

Doesn't that sound gross? And yet, it's delicious. My friend, Megan, brought this to Quilt Night and I'm in love. It's like eating a bite of pumpkin pie, only there is dipping involved. DIPPING! And how else are you going to eat gingersnaps? Plain?! Remember Grandma Carol always had gingersnaps and Nilla wafers? I never ever chose the gingersnaps.

So, add this to your holiday dip repertoire. The flower-shaped gingersnaps come in a package of 2500 at Costco, but you might be able to find plainer ones elsewhere. (Also, Mom, this is a recipe from Penny C.)

12 oz. Cool Whip
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. powdered sugar
8 oz. pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Put everything but Cool Whip in a bowl and mix it together well. Fold in Cool Whip. Chill for a few hours. Serve with gingersnaps.

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

This is one of the three soups we tried out at Girl's Night (during the Priesthood Session of Conference). I forgot the tomatoes even though there was a box of tomatoes in my kitchen. Whatever - it was still the most delicious, cheesy, chicken-y bowl I've had in a long long time. Sigh. (The mini corn muffins are courtesy of the Marie Callender's Corn Bread Mix. Just do what Sister Callender says and everything will turn out fine.)

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts

1 1/2 c. chopped onion

1-2 garlic cloves (or 1 tsp. minced)

3 T. butter

2 chicken bullion cubes

1 c. hot water

1 tsp. cumin

2 c. half-and-half

2 c. shredded Monterey-jack cheese

1 can creamed corn

1 can (4 oz.) green chiles, drained

1 med. tomato, chopped

Cut and cube chicken. Brown with onion, garlic, and butter.

In a separate pan, dissolve bullion cubes in hot water. Add cumin, bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

In 3 qt. pan, add bullion mixture, chicken, and rest of ingredients (except tomatoes) Add shredded cheese after all mixed together. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Add tomatoes.

Easy Crock-pot chicken

i don't have any beautiful before and after pictures of this dish, nor do i have any pictures of my beautiful children helping with this offering. it is simply something in threw in the pot and had savory results.

take a crock-pot

throw in a cube of butter

pick some fresh basil off your bush and throw it into the pot

cut of some garlic cloves (you can pick how many you want to throw)

you can now throw in boneless, skinless pieces of chicken or a whole fryer, turn the pot on high and leave for 5-7 hours.

Raspberry Jam

Raspberry jam has become a tradition in my house. Every year we take a family vacation to Bear Lake with Brian's family and I buy two or three flats of raspberries while we're there. Sometimes we are there too early or too late - I admit to making a few special trips to get the raspberries. Very special since it takes over three hours to get there. This year I came home with three flats and I got some serious help from my friend, Kristi, yesterday to make 31 bottles of beautiful jam. I use the recipe in the package of pectin, so no big secrets there. I do have a few hints, though...

1. One "flat" of raspberries makes between 10 and 12 half-pint bottles of jam, usually with a few berries left over.

2. Do not wash the raspberries. The water gets trapped inside the berry and makes your jam runny. I go through each berry and check for stems and bugs, but no washing.

3. Raspberries (and blackberries) are seedy little suckers, so I like to strain at least half of the 6 cups of berries. This year I found a jelly bag that worked really well, but cheesecloth works great, too. Get your grip muscles ready - it's a lot of work.

4. I use MCP pectin. It's in the SureJell (sp?) family, but I've found it to set up the best out of all the pectins I've tried. It could have something to do with MCP calling for more sugar than the rest of them. Whatever.

5. Speaking of sugar, I use C & H cane sugar instead of beet sugar. I don't understand how or why, but cane sugar is supposed to be better for your body? All those raving psychos at the state fair say it's the best, too. (I can call them that because I'm a State Fair Champion.)

I think that's all I do that isn't in the directions. Obviously I like to get the best raspberries and make the jam as soon as I possibly can. This year the raspberries were picked on Tuesday morning and they were jam by Wednesday morning. Ta da! Nothing is more satisfying than having 31 bottles of beautiful jam sitting on the counter after a long day of making it. Give it a try! Maybe you can be a State Fair Champion this year, too!

Yes, Another Pizza Recipe

I know, I know! I already submitted a pizza recipe, but this is better. The sauce is amazing and the crust is perfect. Just try it, okay.

Pizza Dough

Combine:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 c. water

Set aside for around 10 minutes or until frothy.

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour

(The directions say to make a well in the center of the mixture and stuff, but I just add it gradually in my Bosch. I usually end up adding a little more water.)

Knead until smooth and elastic. (Or let the machine knead it for a couple of minutes.)

Place the dough in a large, slightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for at least 30 minutes.

Pizza Sauce

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped or 1 large can chopped tomatoes with their juices. (NOTE: I have tried this with fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and petite diced tomatoes. The petite diced tomatoes tasted the best.)

1 tsp. dried basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds just until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.

Add the basil, season to taste with salt and pepper and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce thickens (15-20 minutes).

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

Create pizza using dough, sauce, and your favorite toppings. (Fun moms let their kids make their own pizzas. )

Cook at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.