Corn Casserole

I was looking for a gooey corn pudding like the one a lady from church brings to potlucks. I can't remember who it is, so I can't ask. I wanted something in between the scalloped corn my Mom used to make, and plain cornbread casserole, so I set out to adapt one for myself based on several recipes. Here is what I came up with, and it's delicious! I'm very happy with it. The only bad part is it's hard to stop from eating it all myself with a spoon!

Ingredients

• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into a greased square (8x8). baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until the top and edges are golden brown. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Rocky Road Cake

Here is another that I found in my personal blog. It was published in June, 2009.

Rocky Road Cake

I can't really take credit for this one, even though I threw it together. I'm sure it or something similar enough is posted somewhere. But I did throw it together for a band parent meeting and everyone loved it. It's VERY rich so beware!

1 chocolate cake mix of your choice, baked as directed in a 9x13 pan
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans
1 recipe Hot Fudge Sauce, recipe below (this one is from the 1964 edition of Joy of Cooking)

Bake cake as directed on the package. As soon as it comes out of the oven, sprinkle evenly with the marshmallows. Do not spread. They will melt slightly and bind to the cake.

When cool, sprinkle with the nuts and drizzle the Sauce over it evenly. Refrigerate for one hour before serving.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Credit for this goes to the 1964 edition of the Joy of Cooking. I hope it's OK to post it - I found it all over the 'net.

Quote from the cookbook:

"The grand kind that, when cooked for the longer period and served hot, grows hard on ice cream and enraptures children."

Melt in a double boiler over - not in - hot water:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Add and melt:
1 T butter

Stir and blend well, then add:
1/3 cup boiling water

Stir well and add:
1 cup sugar
2 T light corn syrup

boil without stirring for 5 to 8 minutes. Use the longer period of time for the cake above.

Note: I did not use a double boiler. I just stirred constantly as it melted on low.

Hot Shrimp Dip

I was going through my personal blog and found some recipes hidden in there! Here's one:

Hot Shrimp Dip

I created this awhile back when I had some leftover shrimp in the fridge. We think it would be also awesome on it's own without the shrimp - maybe less tarragon and lime juice? I would have to experiment with it some more, butit was great as is!

1/2 cup cooked shrimp, chopped fine
1 T lime juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Mix shrimp, juice and garlic to marinate before you start the rest.

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 tomato, chopped fine

Heat oil and saute vegetables. Add:

2 T butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2 t fresh basil, chopped
2 t fresh tarragon, chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
1 t fresh parsley, chopped

Heat and stir until smooth. Turn off heat and add the shrimp AND its marinade, and 2 T grated parmesan cheese. Stir well. Serve warm with crackers or veggie dippers, or spread on bruschetta.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

Guest post by my husband. This is SO AWESOME. When there is leftover sauce, I hide it so I can have it with lunch the next day!

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

This recipe is modified from one provided by Tyler Florence.  It is scalable.  I have a large family so the recipe below represents a double batch.  I typically cook between 15 and 20 pieces of chicken on the grill.  This recipe is perfect for that amount of bird.  The marinade is best made a day or so ahead of time to give it time to come together.

Ingredients: 

Chicken Pieces (enough for your family)

Teriyaki Marinade:

1 Cup Soy Sauce (low sodium)
2 tsp. dark sesame oil

1 Cup Orange Juice

1 sm can  Crushed  Pineapple (in juice)

4 Tbs  Minced Ginger (use fresh)

2 tsp  Minced Garlic

1 Cup  Chopped Green Onion

2 Tbs Sugar (or substitute Stevia Extract)

Teriyaki Sauce:

½ batch Teriyaki Marinade

1 TBS Corn Starch

Directions:

Make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, OJ, crushed pineapple (use the juice too), ginger, garlic, green onion, and sugar.  Stir over low heat until the sugar completely dissolves.  Allow the marinade to cool.  Place the bird in a large bowl and cover with half of the marinade.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (overnight is better).  Heat the other half of the marinade to make a teriyaki sauce over medium high heat and whisk in a slurry made of the corn starch and water to thicken to your desired consistency (I like mine fairly thick so it behaves like a BBQ sauce on the grill).

Set up your grill for indirect cooking.  Cook the bird over the coals for about 10 minutes turning frequently to avoid burning (if you are uncomfortable with this, you can skip it and just cook the bird on the cool side of the grill but you will miss out on some awesome carmelization and color if you do).  Move the bird to the cool side of the grill and cover.  Turn the pieces every 10 to 15 minutes basting with the marinade after each turn.  After about 30 minutes, discard the marinade.  Once the bird reaches an internal temperature of about 150, begin saucing with the teriyaki sauce.  Pull the bird when the internal temperature reaches 170.  Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

Pecan Pie

This year my 14 year old son started asking me for pecan pie. I had never made one before, and it never occurred to me to try. I found a really good one at Thanksgiving, locally made, in the grocery store. It was delicious!

At Christmas time, he asked me for one BUT wanted me to try making one. So I turned to my "church lady" cookbooks for advice (they always have the BEST recipes!).

It is SO easy to make and so delicious! I don't think I will ever buy one again!

Note - I do not make pie crust. I have tried, and Mom tried to teach me, but I never mastered it. Maybe some day? But then store bought ones are so easy and good enough. I buy the rolled ones and put them in my own pie plate.

Pecan Pie

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
1/2 tsp butter
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves or pieces, slightly toasted
1 unbaked pie shell

Beat together sugar, syrup, eggs, butter, salt and flour. Add vanilla and pecans (you don't have to toast them, but it really is better!). Pour into pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 and bake for 35-40 minutes longer. Pie will still be jiggly.

*Do not overbake!

Bread Pudding

This is the most amazing bread pudding I have ever had! And so easy to make - I think it's my new go-to dessert recipe! A friend gave it to me after bringing it to a party a few years ago.

The white chocolate sauce is good, but not good enough IMO to justify the expense of the chocolate. To me it tastes just like the sauce I use on cranberry pudding, so I am going to try that next time. A simple custard would be great, too, and I think it's what my younger kids would choose. So do some experimenting!

Update - we always use the vanilla sauce referenced above, so I have included the recipe below.

Variations:

King Cake Bread Pudding: use a medium king cake of your choice. The cheap grocery ones are fine.

Chocolate Chip: Sprinkle top with chocolate (or other flavor) chips before baking. About 1/2 cup is plenty.

Fruit: Sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 cup fruit before baking.

Bread Pudding:

1 loaf of bread (your choice. We've even used stale hamburger buns.)

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. almond

1-1/2 cups of Sugar

4 cups of milk


1/2 cup butter, melted


cinnamon (optional)



Cut the bread into small pieces, and put it in a deep 9 by 13 baking dish. Mix eggs, vanilla, 

almond, sugar, and milk with a mixer or whisk. Pour over the bread. Melt half stick of 

butter and pour over bread mixture. Press bread into the pan to absorb the liquid.

Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 45 minutes @ 350 degrees. Check with a knife and see if

 it is done.



White Chocolate Sauce

1 box white chocolate squares, bakers brand is the best

6 tablespoon of water or your favorite liquid

1 cup of powdered sugar


 Soften the rest of the butter with white chocolate Squares. can be microwave if 

desired stir in powdered sugar. Add water if needed to be thinned (warm water first), to

 thin the mixture. Pour mixture on the top of the bread pudding as it comes out of the 

oven. 

VANILLA CREAM SAUCE

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix ingredients. Boil and stir for 5 minutes. Pour evenly over pudding and serve.

Gingerbread Crackle Cookies

These were the best gingerbread cookies I have ever had. The kids missed rolling and cutting, so I bought a roll of premade gingerbread dough for them to do (as well as the sugar cookies we made). These are just too delicious for me to care about rolling and cutting.

Ingredients:

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         2 teaspoons baking soda

·         1- 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

·         1/2 cup vegetable shortening

·         1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

·         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·         1/2 cup granulated sugar

·         1/4 cup molasses

·         1 large egg

·         1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar for rolling. I used colored sugar mixed with plain.

Directions

·         Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

·         In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice and cloves.

·         Add the shortening, butter and the brown and granulated sugars to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Slip in the molasses and egg and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour mixture by scoopfuls and beat until combined.

·         Add the extra sugar to a small plate or bowl. Roll the dough into balls that are 1 inch in diameter,  then roll in the sugar. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies 9 to 11 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Cool on the baking sheets for 4 minutes, then continue cooling on wire racks. Repeat with the second batch.

NOTE: the original source said to rotate the pans. I've tried it both ways. The ones not rotated looked a bit browner on the bottom. Enough that I noticed, but not enough to fret over, so try it both ways yourself and decide! I usually do rotate, since I'm standing there anyway. 9 minutes total - 5 then 4.

Notes: These cookies are nice and chewy on the inside with a nice crunch on the outside. They have a wonderfully soft texture from using both shortening and butter. When you bake these cookies your house will smell like Christmas!

If you let the cookies completely cool before removing them, they will stick to the pan.