Tennessee Cornbread

Another favorite. Sweeter and moister than the cornbread I grew up with. Pretty hard to resist.

2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425˚. Combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix until combined.

Grease 9" iron skillet. Dust with cornmeal. Add batter and bake 18-20 min.

Cornbread - Southern

My friend Jennifer was kind enough to share her cornbread recipe. Apparently you can also cook the batter in a waffle iron and top with pulled pork. Who knew?

2 cups cornmeal (wholegrain)
Scant 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
4 eggs, beaten

Preheat 10" iron skillet in oven at 450˚. Combine the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and eggs.

Quickly combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour into skillet and bake 15-20 min, until golden brown.

Mushroom and Lentil Soup

A great winter or autumn meal, especially good with fresh-baked bread.

1 1/2 cup lentils

1 lb. mushrooms, chopped

4-6 green onions, chopped

2 large gloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry sherry or port

1 bay leaf

4 cups chicken stock

1 Tbs. lemon juice or lemon zest

1 bunch fresh spinach (optional)

1 cup sour cream/yogurt or mozzarella cheese (optional)

Cook lentils on stovetop in about 4 cups water until soft (about 30 min).

Chop mushrooms and sauté in olive oil or butter until browned. Add green onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add sherry or port and bay leaf. Cook for a few more minutes, then add chicken stock, lentils, lemon juice, and about 3 cups water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.

If using, add spinach and stir until wilted. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

German Chocolate Cake

Originally named for Sam German, who invented dark baking chocolate, this rich, gooey cake is a sure crowd-pleaser. Recipe adapted from Baker's baking chocolate box.

Total time with cooling: 2 hours
Requires three 9-inch cake pans

The cake:
1 pkg. (4 oz.) Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup water
4 eggs, separated
2 cups flour
1 tsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Coconut-pecan topping:
4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
1 pkg. (7 oz.) coconut flakes
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparing the cake:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Spray sides with cooking spray.

Microwave chocolate and water 1 1/2 minutes, stirring in the middle. Stir until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition (separate egg whites into a small bowl for later). Blend melted chocolate and vanilla into butter and sugar mixture, blending well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk into the butter and sugar mixture, beating after each addition.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into the batter. Pour into the tree prepared pans.

Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately run a small spatula around the inside of the pans, then set them on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and allow to cool completely on racks.

Preparing the topping:
Beat egg yolks, evaporated milk, and vanilla until well blended. Add sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and golden brown. Add coconut and pecans.  Mix well and allow to cool.

Putting it together:
Frost between layers of the cake and on top. Garnish with strawberries or maraschino cherries.

French Chocolate Almond Cake

From Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
Be sure the ingredients are at room temperature—including the eggs, which can be warmed in a bowl of hot tap water for 10 minutes. 
We prefer making it without the optional black pepper and cinnamon

Yields a single 8-inch layer cake
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Cooling time: 10 minutes

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules (we used 2 Tbsp espresso)
2 tablespoons hot water
4 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
l/3 cup butter, at room temperature
l/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, separated (make sure to separate well)
1/3 cup unbleached white flour
l/3 cup finely ground almonds
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch springform pan and dustwitfc flour. Stir together the coffee and water in a small saucepan. Add the chocolate and warm on low heat, stirring with vigilance until smooth and blended. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer or whisk, until light and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the reserved melted chocolate mixture. 

In a small bowl, stir together the flour and ground almonds. If using, add the cinnamon and pepper. Set aside. 

Using an electric mixer or a whisk, whip the egg whites in a sturdy bowl until white and foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and whip until the whites form soft peaks when the beaters are lifted. Add the sugar and continue to whip until the whites are stiff and glossy. 

Now combine the mixtures. Fold the flour mixture and the beaten egg whites alternately into the chocolate mixture in two or three batches. Use a gentle, thorough touch so the batter is blended but light and airy. This is what gives the cake its melt-in-your-mouth texture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for about 23 minutes. When done, the top of the cake will be slightly cracked, a few crumbs will adhere to a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge of the pan, and the center of the cake will be soft and slightly puffed. 

Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. Invert the cake onto the rack to remove the bottom of the springform pan. Then invert back onto a serving plate, cracked side up. Sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar and serve at room temperature. This cake is at its very best when served the same day. 

Light Samosas

Special thanks to Dave and Lynne for this one. We've been wanting to make real (i.e., not "light"), deep-fried samosas sometime, but in the meantime, these are pretty delicious!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup carrot, finely cubed
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon water
15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
24 14x9" sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Heat in a skillet over medium heat:
  1 1/2 T. canola oil

Add:
  1/2 C. finely cubed carrot

Cook 3 min, stirring frequently

Add:
  1/2 C. thinly sliced green onion
  2 T. minced peeled fresh ginger
  1 T. minced garlic

Cook 1 min, stirring constantly.

Add:
  1 T. tomato paste
  1 1/2 t. cumin
  1 t. brown mustard seeds
  3/4 t. salt
  1/4 t. ground red pepper
  1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Cook 1 min, stirring constantly.

Add:
  1 C. frozen green peas, thawed
  1 T. water
  15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Cook 1 min; then remove from the heat.

Stir in:
  1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro
  1 T. fresh lemon juice

Cool.

Preheat oven to 400.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying); coat with cooking spray.  Place another phyllo sheet on coated phyllo; coat with cooking spray.  Fold layered sheets in half lengthwise.

Spoon 2 T. filling onto bottom end of rectangle, leaving a 1" border.

Fold bottom corner over mixture, forming a triangle;  keep folding back and forth into a triangle to end of phyllo strip.  Tuck edges under; place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.

Brush with melted butter.

Repeat procedure with remaining 22 phyllo sheets, cooking spray, filling and butter.

Bake at 400 for 10 min. or until crisp and golden.

Mom's Frosting

Makes great frosting for sugar cookies. This recipe makes a lot, so I usually make half or even a third of it.

2 lb powdered sugar (4 c per pound)
3/4 c crisco shortening (not liquid)
2/3 c milk
1 t salt
1 t vanilla
1 t almond flavoring

Beat together crisco, salt, flavor and a little of the sugar. Slowly add milk and sugar alternately, beating well. You can not beat it too much. Add more or less milk depending on the consistency you want.