Archive for Recipes

Sweet Sweet Corn Cake

December 1, 2008 · Filed under Recipes, Side Dishes

corn-cake-2

I fell in love with sweet corn cake after sampling it at the local El Torito.  It’s surprising I could build such an affinity for it – considering the way they tease you with their tiny portions. In any case, I figured that if I ever really wanted to taste the delicious nectar that was sweet sweet corn cake, I had probably better just learn to make it myself.

I searched the internet for a respectable recipe and landed upon a variant of this one at allrecipes.com. I tweaked the recipe – mostly out of necessity (i.e. lack of ingredients on hand), and personally I think my version is just as good and quite a bit easier to make.

Suggestions: This goes great with just about any Tex-Mex type dish, but a personal favorite at our house is to add sweet corn cake directly into the tortilla with the other regular fajita ingredients.

SWEET SWEET CORN CAKE

6 Tbsp. Butter, softened

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp Cornmeal

2 Tbsp Water

1 Can Creamed Corn

1/3 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

In medium bowl beat butter and cornmeal til creamy, add remaining ingredients and stir til thoroughly combined. Pour batter into ungreased 8×8 inch baking dish. Place pan into a 9×13 inch baking dish that is filled 1/3 of the way with water. Bake in a preheated over at 350 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes. (If cake doesn’t seem to be getting done fast enough, remove from water bath.) Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. A regular ice cream scoop makes a nice delivery system and a pleasantly shaped portion.

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Super Tasty Asian Chicken Salad

November 10, 2008 · Filed under Chicken, Recipes, Salad

crackerAsian Chicken Salad on Keebler Club Cracker

A variation of this unusually simple-for-how-delicious-it-is recipe was discovered on the side of a Keebler Club Crackers box. I used my creative license to modify the original recipe to increase flavor and flexibility.

Super Tasty Asian Chicken Salad

1/3 Tbsp Mayonnaise

3 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

1 tsp Black Pepper

3-1/2 cups cooked, chopped Chicken Breast

2 cups chopped Red Bell Pepper

1/2 cup sliced Green Onions (2 bunches)

1 cup chopped Tomatoes

2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds (more if using for garnish)

Spinach Leaves (9 ounce bag if creating salad, less if using only for crackers)

Keebler Club Crackers

In small bowl stir together mayonnaise, soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper. In medium bowl toss together chicken, bell pepper and onions. Add mayonnaise mixture, toss to coat. Gently fold in tomatoes and sesame seeds. Chill before serving with Keebler Club Crackers or on a bed of fresh Spinach. Makes about 7 cups.


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Real Smooth Fruit and Peanut Butter Smoothies

November 6, 2008 · Filed under Beverages, Fruit, Recipes

banana-smoothieBanana and Peanut Butter Smoothie

The way to a thick and creamy smoothie is to use frozen fruit, not ice, to achieve a desired thickness. You can buy frozen fruit at the grocery store, or freeze it yourself. Cut or break fruit such as bananas and peaches into pieces no larger than a strawberry before freezing — otherwise you may learn the hard way, as I did, that blender blades really do have their limitations.

The following smoothie recipe is a great way for kids and adults alike to get fruit, dairy, and protein all in one delicious gulp.

Fruit and Peanut Butter Smoothie

3 small frozen bananas, or 1-1/2 cups of frozen strawberries, peach or otherwise

8 ounce container of Yogurt (Vanilla or any other complimentary flavor)

1- 1/2 cups Milk

1/4 cup Peanut Butter (optional)

1/4 cup Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high til smooth. Add extra milk if you find the smoothie to be too thick. Makes about 3 cups.

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Thick n’ Juicy Hamburgers

October 31, 2008 · Filed under Recipes, Suggestions

Mini-Hamburger Served on Dinner Roll w/ Fries

Thick juicy hamburgers are actually quite easy to make at home and have the potential to please the most discriminating audiences. As a matter of fact, during a recent visit, my food finicky brother actually referred to one of my burgers as “restaurant quality”. (sweet!)

The following recipe is suitable for at least four people and possibly up to 6 depending on size, thickness and group appetite.

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of lean ground beef

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs or uncooked oatmeal

1/2 cup of any combination of flavorful condiments or sauces — (i.e. Mustard, Ketchup, Chili Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Horseradish, Sweet Pickle Relish, Dressing or Marinade). You can also throw in various herbs and spices as desired.

Mixing: The key to adding sauce is to make sure you don’t over do it. Pay attention to the consistency of the hamburger mixture — you want it to remain stiff enough to hold a good shape, while also adding as much sauce as possible. Do keep in mind that the sauce addition process is a delicate balance, if you over kill on the sauce, you’ll end up with a meatloaf  sandwich.

Molding: Shape the hamburgers slightly larger than the bun to allow for standard burger shinkage. Thickness should be close to 3/4 an inch.

Cooking: In my experience broiling is easier and leaves the burgers with more of their own delicious juices; especially if you cover the broiling pan with tin foil, which is what I do — however, if you have an aversion to fat and like to scrub pans, omit the foil.

Cook Time: Mini Burgers (as shown) should be broiled on high for 5 minutes per side, larger burgers would be 6 – 8 minutes per side.

Topping suggestions: grilled onions (practically a must), avocados, tomatoes, bacon, pickles or relish, lettuce, peppers, dressing, mayo, pineapple, ketchup, and mustard.

Side Dish Tip:

French Fry Suggestions: If using the frozen grocery store variety, pre-cook fries for just over half of their required baking time, then move them to the lower rack of the oven while broiling your burgers. While building your burgers, broil the fries for 3 – 5 minutes longer to add a crispy shell.

Fry Sauce: Construct with equal parts of either mayo and ketchup or mayo and chili sauce.

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Super Delicious Hot Wing Dip

October 31, 2008 · Filed under Chicken, Dips, Recipes

hot-wing-dipSuper Delicious Hot Wing Dip

Talk about a crowd pleaser; I haven’t met one person I didn’t like that didn’t like this dip.

12 ounces Cream Cheese (1.5 cubes)

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Bleu Cheese Dressing

1 cup Frank’s Hot Wing Sauce

1 cup Cheese (cheddar or otherwise)

4 Chicken Breasts (chopped or cubed)

Combine ingredients in sauce pan or crock pot, heat through til cheeses are melted. Serve as a dip with tortilla chips or crackers, or as a spread with toasted English muffins. Garnish with carrots and celery.

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