Cornbread Pudding

I wanted some cornbread pudding, but I didn't have exactly what the recipe called for. I came up with a second version, and it's even better than the first! Yay!

1 can Corn
2 small Onions
2 Eggs
1 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 stick Butter, melted
1 package Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Stir in cornbread mix and seasonings. Pour into a greased 13X9 baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center. Serve warm. 

Easy Chocolate Custard with Oreo and Bailey's Truffles

I made a dessert for the kids to take on their ski trip this weekend, and I had the ingredients left over to make this custard and truffles! 

1 1/3 cups Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

4 Egg Yolks

Heat cream and sugar over medium heat, just to a bubble. (Do not boil) Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Beat the egg yolks and temper them (add a tiny bit of the hot liquid at a time until the eggs are warm). Add them to the chocolate mixture and return to heat. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, about 6-8 minutes. (Do not boil) Cool and pour into 3 ounce custard cups or bowls. Cover and refrigerate until set, about one hour.

Truffles:

12 Oreos, ground into crumbs
1 cup Whipped Cream
2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Creme

Combine the ingredients and spoon into a small bowl or pan. Freeze until firm. Scoop with a small melon baller. and serve on top of custard.

Christmas Caramels

I found a few recipes for homemade caramels, but the problem was I didn't have the ingredients for any of them. So, if you know me, you know that didn't stop me! LOL, I compromised and combined what I did have into one consolidated recipe. Notice that there is NO butter or vanilla! The hubby said that the result is just as good if not better than Werther's Caramels! Woo Hoo!

1 cup Heavy Cream 

1/2 cup Half & Half
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Other tools and supplies... Candy thermometer, parchment paper and waxed paper.

In a heavy saucepan, combine cream, half & half, sugars and salt. Over medium to medium high heat bring mixture to a boil while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (Make sure the pot is double the size you think you need, because this mixture foams up and will make a huge mess if the pot is not big enough!)

Once the caramel comes to a boil, attach candy thermometer and stop stirring.

While the caramel is boiling, prepare your dish. Butter a 13x9 baking dish, line with parchment, and then butter the parchment. Make sure you leave some parchment showing on two ends of the dish. This will give you 'handles' to lift the caramel out when it is set.

Continue boiling, without stirring until the temperature reaches 245 degrees, the firm ball stage. Don't turn your back or walk away at this point. The caramel can foam over and burn on the stove, or it could boil over on you and cause serious burns. This caramel doesn't wash off. It sticks and burns, so use caution during this stage, and you'll be fine! (Keep kids away from the stove/kitchen while getting the candy up to temperature!)

Remove from heat and pour into your prepared pan. Let the caramel rest in a safe place out of reach (so little fingers won't be tempted... like the hubby here!) for about least 8 hours or overnight before cutting. It should be completely cool and set. It will be a little tacky.

To cut, lift the caramel using the 'handles' of parchment you left showing. Turn it out on a cutting board that you have lightly sprayed with oil. Peel the parchment away and cut as desired. (I used a knife heated in hot water. It cuts easier that way.) I wrapped mine individually in strips of wax paper. This recipe made 100 wrapped candies of various sizes. Next time, I'm going to cover some in milk chocolate! :-)

Chocolate Ice Cream

I get major brownie points for making this one for the hubby! He loves chocolate, and he loves ice cream!!!

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
5 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, milk and cocoa. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until completely melted. Set it aside to cool slightly.

In a stand mixer, beat together egg yolks and sugar until well combined and thickened a little. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of milk mixture to the egg and sugar mixture, while continuing to beat so you don't cook the eggs yolks. Repeat 2 more times adding 1/4 cup of milk mixture to the egg mixture.

Stir egg mixture back into saucepan the milk mixture. Place back on stove and bring back to a simmer. Stir until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and strain into a medium bowl to remove any lumps that may have formed. Cool to room temperature.

Wrap with plastic wrap and completely freeze mixture in freezer for 4 hours or overnight.

Corn Chowder

I received a request for my corn chowder recipe after I posted a lot of pictures and videos of our trip to Old McCaskill's Farm. We joined in the fun at the Grits Mill, shelling/shucking corn. The kids had a blast! So, as requested... here's my recipe.

Corn Chowder

1/2 cup diced bacon

1 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup celery, sliced

1 tablespoon flour

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups corn

1 1/2 cups half-and-half, or heavy cream... your choice

1/4 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon fine kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add onion, carrots and celery to bacon fat and cook, stirring, until onion is softened. Stir in flour until well incorporated. Pour in the broth a little at a time, stirring until smooth. Add potatoes and corn. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Add cream and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Return bacon to the pot and stir. Season with basil, salt and pepper.

MoonPie Banana Pudding

Yesterday, I made Dixie Caviar's Moonpie Banana Pudding for my church's Wednesday Night Supper Crowd. I believe that it went over quite well... I didn't have any left and I didn't get any either! LOL I had several people tell me that it was good, but I would have to say that the jewel in my crown was little 6 month old Owen. He was grinning from ear to ear eating his Mama's banana pudding! Now that is a ringing endorsement if I've ever seen one. A child can't lie about food... you can see it in their facial expressions and their eyes! You could see it in his entire little body... Mmmmmm!!!

Well, I had Elliott with me (my 14 yr old). A storm was on the way and I would not let him stay at the house alone in severe weather... which he scoffed at several times! He helped me cook, which he hasn't done in quite a long time. He always complains, but he ends up having fun anyway! He decided to come up with a seasoning mixture that he could season some hamburger with and cook when he got home. He rooted through the herbs, spices and seasoning blends, asking me occasionally, "What's this stuff?" I told him, "Smell it! If it smells good, use it! If it doesn't, leave it alone." Well, he finished his seasoning... I was making chicken pot pie, so I gave him a piece of chicken to try it out. (I tasted it too and it was pretty darn good!) He also tried it on a cucumber slice I was cutting up for the salad. He remarked, "Wow! That's a little spicy, but that's ok! The cucumber has a cooling effect! See Mama, I've learned something cooking with you!" LOLOLOL He's a TRIP!!! At that point he made me take a picture with him. He calls this our Steven Tyler pose... 

Wow! The stuff this kid gets me to do!!! LOL

ANYWAY... back to the dessert! It uses a pudding mix, but it's mixed with heavy cream that's whipped to stiff peaks...

Ingredients... I made the pudding mixture

the day before and let it sit overnight.

Heavy Cream and Vanilla...

The pudding looks like mustard... LOL

It's just made with less liquid than usual.

and now the star of the show... 

MOONPIES!!!

... and bananas!

...and finally, the pudding mixture! :-)

Click on the link at the top of the page for a printable copy of the recipe!