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.