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GOLDEN SWEET CORNBREAD

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This past weekend Houston was threatened by the prospect of wintry precipitation.  So Houston did what it always does in these situations, and preemptively shut the city down.  Personally, I didn’t mind a few days of hanging around with nothing to do and nowhere to go.  Fortunately, it turned out to be a big old nothing burger, although it was pretty cold for these parts.  Another hard freeze is predicted for this weekend, although there is no ice or snow in the forecast, so it’s bundled up business as usual.

In preparation for the freeze, while parts of the country were blanketed by snow, Houstonians blanketed their plants with freeze cloth, which as best as I can tell, does nothing.  They also did panic shopping, myself included.  Surprisingly,  the grocery store was sold out of ground beef.  That can only mean one thing — Chili!  Fortunately, I had ground beef in my freezer, and made a big pot of chili with beans, which is always great on a cold evening.  Interestingly, conservatives tend to make not very good chili — they have trouble being liberal with their spices.

To go with the chili I made this recipe for Golden Sweet Cornbread, a favorite of mine and my kids.  The recipe is foolproof and delicious.   If you are feeling fancy, whip up a little cinnamon honey butter to spread on the hot cornbread, which will make it next level.

(By the way, if you want to make a vegetarian chili, just stick her in the freezer.)

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GOLDEN SWEET CORNBREAD
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk (can use low-fat)
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add milk, oil, and egg to dry ingredients, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until cornbread is golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 20-25 minutes.

A-maize-ing

 

ASIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARROT SLAW

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My Thanksgiving is going to be different this year.  My friend and I are hosting our 8th Thanksgiving Day Luncheon for our little community’s senior citizens (with half-hearted participation from our sons’ Boy Scout Troop) for the last time.  We’ve enjoyed it, but it’s time to pass the torch — hopefully someone will accept it and carry on this fine tradition.  Here’s a few photos from a prior luncheon:

My little family is scattered this year — there will just be three of us for dinner later in the day, and that’s OK.  I think we’re looking forward to a relaxed holiday meal, for once.  Although I’m not getting out my collection of turkeys and Thanksgiving decorations, I did make a turkey wreath for my front door:

I know your inboxes are overflowing with Thanksgiving recipes, so forgive me for adding yet  another nontraditional recipe to the noise.  But I love this recipe.  Its seasonal colors will add vibrancy to your Thanksgiving table, and it is deliciously different.  It would also be excellent to bring some excitement to leftover turkey sandwiches.

 

Gorgeous, right?  Happy Thanksgiving!

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ASIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARROT SLAW
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • For dressing:
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup Asian fish sauce
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • For slaw:
  • 4 cups julienned butternut squash
  • 2 cups julienned carrot
  • 1 small red jalapeno, very thinly sliced into rings
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus additional sprigs for garnish
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped glazed pecans, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
  1. To prepare dressing, place water, vinegar, brown sugar, and fish sauce in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in garlic, lime juice, and crushed red pepper. Set aside to cool until ready to use.
  2. Place squash, carrot, jalapeno, cilantro, and pecans in medium bowl and toss to combine . Just before serving, pour ½ cup dressing over slaw, and toss until combined. (Reserve additional dressing in covered container in refrigerator for another use.). Mound slaw on serving dish and garnish as desired with cilantro sprigs and whole pecans.

Knock knock

Who’s there?

Norma Lee

Norma Lee who?

Norma Lee I don’t eat this much!