Finding Comfort in Cornbread Convenience.

 

Deep Fried Chicken Tenderloins with Honey Mustard Sauce, Garlic Baby Potatoes, Sweet Corn Casserole.

Whether seeing recipes online, reading through a myriad of cookbooks, or finding a product at the supermarket, I am always looking for something new to cook or bake.  During the 2024 holiday season, I discovered a new product from frozen food diva, Marie Callender, Sweet Corn Casserole.  The description is, “Indulge in sweet whole corn kernels in a creamy cornmeal batter with a touch of cheese for a quick and convenient casserole with homemade taste you'll want to savor.”  This product can be eaten alone, or as a side dish, with 2-4 servings dependent on how much is spooned out.

At home, the product was prepared according to package directions, using the oven method, as I am not very keen on microwave cooking. Why? Personally, I have found cooked, or “baked”, dishes, have unpredictable results, as the microwave simply does not cook evenly throughout. Anyway, after 20 minutes, I pulled the oven proof dish out, stirred the ingredients and then waited.  What did I get?  Soup, yes, a soupy mixture of very little corn kernels and barely noticeable cornbread around the rim.  What the…?  Read the directions again, and I had done them correctly, but this looked nothing like the photo on the box.  How do I fix this?  I opened and added a can of whole kernel corn, put the dish back in the oven for another 20 minutes, and wallah…sweet corn casserole.  It was tasty, a consistency similar to very firm mashed potatoes, and, of course, now loaded with corn.

Overall, though, I was very disappointed with the experience, and needed to know how to make the dish myself.  First, I found hundreds of references to Paula Dean, as she is the queen of southern cooking, and here is her recipe.

Paula Deen's Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

14.75 oz. creamed corn

15.25 oz. whole kernel sweet corn, drained

8.5 oz. Jiffy corn muffin mix

8 oz. sour cream

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the cheddar cheese. Be sure to drain the whole kernel corn.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Top with shredded cheddar. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top begins to brown.

Let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving.

Servings: 6 (those must be whopping sized servings!)

Reviews varied from worse to best thing ever, so I decided to do a bit more digging about this dish.  Sweet corn casserole is known by a variety of names: corn pone, spoon bread, corn pudding, and hoppy glop.  It originated with the Native Americans of the south who added ash to the cooking process of corn with water.  The ash would soften the corn by breaking down the cellular walls, allowing more water to penetrate. The name “corn pone” likely came from one of these Native words, apan, oppone or supawn which translate to “baked”, since the mixture would be baked on hot coals to form a cake.  As explorers and settlers came to the east coast of the New World, ingredients, such as butter, sugar and flour, were introduced to the mixture.

Being an explorer of foods myself, I eventually came up with a recipe that hit the spots of sweet, tangy and savory.  During these last weeks of frigid weather, a warm bowl heated the hands, while the casserole heated the body from the inside-out.  Since my hubby ended up eating most of this casserole, I would rightly say that I must have done it correctly.

 

Sweet Corn Casserole (I did it my way…. sing it Frankie!)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain cornbread mix

1 (14.75 oz.) can cream style corn

1 (15.25 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

½ cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. honey

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F, and butter inside of a 2-quart casserole dish.  Stir together all ingredients and spoon into the dish.  Bake for 45-55 minutes; or until top is golden brown.  If desired, spread more shredded cheese over top and leave dish in oven for two minutes to allow melting.

 

Remove from oven, let rest for five minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

 

 

 

But wait, I found another cornbread convenience trick that surprised even me.  I recently purchased a cornbread from the local market which was simply delicious.  It was moist, did not fall apart when using a fork, honey sweet and one of the best I have ever tried.  Reading the ingredient label, I found “cake mix” as one of the main ingredients.  Huh? Cake Mix?  Yes folks, I have found another baked good that has cake mix as one of its main ingredients.  Researching recipes, several food bloggers stated that this was a trick used by many a restaurant that served cornbread as a side.  Not only does it stretch the recipe, but it makes the cake less dry and crumbly, allowing for softened butter to spread on more easily and smoothly.

Here is a basic recipe that can be played with.  Like cornbread with cheddar cheese, honey, or chopped jalapenos?  Add them!  it is your creation, so have fun playing.

 

Cake Mix Cornbread

 

Ingredients:

1 (15.25 oz.) box yellow cake mix (with or without pudding, both work)

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cornbread mix

1/2 cup milk

4 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup warm water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter, or use butter flavored nonstick spray, in a 9x13 baking pan, or 2-8-inch round baking pans

Whisk cake mix and corn bread mix together in a large bowl to smooth out any lumps.  Add remaining ingredients and whisk well to combine.

Pour into baking pan(s); bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan.  With the round cake pans, there will be 8 servings.  Depending on how the cake, in the 9x13 pan, is cut, there could be up to 15 servings.

Note: If high altitude, check cake mix box for any additions to the cake mix, such as flour.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Korean Cuisine.

According to another “National Food Days” calendar I found, January 13^th is National Korean-American Day.  Which, of course, got me to thinking about my experiences with Korean cuisine, and how few they were.  It was not till the middle to later 2000s that Korean food began to make an appearance in the food truck scene.  Korean “tacos” became all the rage, and suddenly restaurants began opening offering Korean style “barbecue”. 

Korean barbecue is called Bulgogi which translates to “fire meat”, and, originally, it was only a beef dish.  Pork and chicken are now included as folks wanted more of a variety.  The marinade used for beef is also used for pork, and chicken has a more subtle type. Let’s take a step backwards, in time, and see how this recipe originated.

A quote, from an article in Smithsonian Magazine, about Bulgogi, sums up its historical background, “According to the peer-reviewed Korea Journal, the dish’s origins stretch back to the Goguryeo era (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.), the evolution of a kabob-like skewered meat preparation called maekjeok. Over time, maekjeok became seoryamyeok, a brothy dish of marinated beef soaked in cold water, which by the early 20th century gave way to neobiani, a luxurious dish of thinly-sliced, marinated and charbroiled beef favored by Korean royalty.”  In other words, the recipe began with grilling, turned into a sort of soup, and then returned to being grilled.

 

               Kimchi, Savory Korean Pancakes with Grilled Salmon and Chopped Vegetables.

Bulgogi Beef, Bulgogi Inside Egg Roll Wraps and Deep Fried, Bulgogi Chicken Lettuce Wraps, 

 

I have tried all three meats, in various forms, which gives a variety of taste, texture and scent.  Beef wrapped in egg roll wrappers and deep fried adds crunch to the tender beef while an explosion of sauce bursts forth.  Thinly sliced pork plus the addition of thinly sliced raw, and crunchy, vegetables, wrapped in lettuce leaves has a fresher flavor combination.  Pieces of marinated and grilled chicken, topped over steamed rice, has more of a comfort food aura surrounding it.  If doing the lettuce wrap sounds enticing, use a type of butter lettuce such as Bibb or Boston.  The leaves are smaller than iceberg or romaine, sweeter in taste and more pliable for wrapping around ingredients.

There are various methods to making Bulgogi:

Grills

Tabletop grill or small barbecue is the traditional method.

Wood chip barbecue grill gives a smokier flavor addition to the meats.

Charcoal grill: The marinade, juices, and fats drip onto the coals, burn, and then come back to “smoke” the meats.

Pans

Cast iron pan: Retains heat well which allows for even cooking and a better sear.

Griddle: Can be used on the stovetop or on a grill

Skillet: Can be used to cook thin slices of meat 

 

Bulgogi Beef and Deep Fried Inside Egg Roll Wrappers

 

Now for the marinades, for beef and pork (using 2 lbs. of meat), the ingredients are:

6 Tbsp. soy sauce (low salt is fine too)  

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. Japanese rice wine aka Mirin

1 cup of peeled and diced red apple, Asian pear or pineapple.

¼ cup diced onion

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. minced ginger

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

 

Bulgogi Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The marinade ingredients for chicken (using 1 lb.) are:

3 Tbsp. soy sauce (low salt is fine too)

1 and ½ Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Japanese rice wine aka Mirin

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. minced ginger

1 tsp. sesame oil

Pinch of ground black pepper

Preparation is similar for all meats:

Thinly slice beef or pork; cut up, into 1-inch pieces, the chicken; place in sealable container. 

Place all ingredients for marinade into blender and blend until smooth.  Pour over meat in container, mix to coat, seal and refrigerate for four hours.  Remove meat from marinade and grill on medium-high heat.

The excess marinade can be put into a small pan, high heat, and reduce to a thicker sauce for the grilled meat.

 

Kimchi

 

A traditional Korean side dish is Kimchi which is a salted and fermented vegetable, usually Napa cabbage or Koran radish.  The seasonings added are Korean chili powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (a salted seafood).  Korean chili powder is called gochutgaru which has a vibrant red color, the texture may vary from fine powder to flakes, and the heat level from mildly hot to very hot.  In Northern Korean, kimchi is on the milder side of hot, while in Southern Korean, they like it hot-hot-hot.  Kimchi is eaten on a global scale, and can often be found at Asian restaurants offering a buffet menu.  Kimchi is similar to sauerkraut, since they both are typically made within ceramic containers.  However, the kimchi process is shorter in time and is spicy in nature, while sauerkraut is sour.

 

 

Savory Korean Pancakes with Grilled Salmon and Chopped Vegetables.

Leftover bulgogi, if there is any, and kimchi can be used to make Korean pancakes.  These pancakes are of a more savory nature than the typical breakfast pancake we eat in the USA.

A batter of flour and egg is pan-fried with chopped vegetables, meats and seasonings having been added to the batter, and is similar to a fritter.  The dipping sauce for the pancakes is a combination of soy sauce, Japanese rice wine and red pepper flakes.

Pancake Batter with Added Ingredients

 

Fry One Side.

Flip and Fry Other Side

If you are lucky, and happen to live in an area which has Korean restaurants or food trucks, and stores to buy ingredients, do yourself the favor and try this cuisine.  If not, online shopping will provide the ingredients, and making it at home can be a great experience in learning something new.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

Starting the New Year Clean and Bright.

Recently I discovered there are various superstitions regarding what you should, or should not, do on New Year’s Day.  I have no idea where I must have been when these superstitions came about, but have not ever heard of them before.

Supposedly you should not shower or bathe, clean anything, or any room of the home, and not do any laundry as it will “wash away” all the good luck of the new year.  I, on the other hand, showered, did two loads of laundry and cleaned the kitchen.  I wanted any residue of lousy 2024 to be washed away, and start off 2025 with a poltergeist moment of, “This house is clean!”.   By the way, did you know that the color of your underwear, on New Year’s Day, brings a desired wish?  The color I was wearing?  Whoa there, TMI.

Depending upon which state you reside in, in the USA, a certain food or grouping of foods, eaten will bring good luck throughout the new year; same for many countries as well.  It was always lasagna when I lived in New York; and pork, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes in Pennsylvania.  For Utah, it is…nothing special; that is correct, there is no traditional food to be eaten for New Year’s Day.  So, each year, Roy and I do our own “tradition” of, “What are you in the mood for?”

2025 called for something easy, pleasing, and full of bright colors to warm every sense.  A stir-fry of shrimp, various vegetables and angel hair pasta; oh, not a traditional Asian stir fry, but one using Mediterranean influences.  Those influences are olive oil, garlic, parsley and Feta cheese; lemon juice does not have to be used for every recipe of this cuisine.  With Feta cheese being used as a topping, using lemon juice would make this dish too tart and tangy, and overwhelm all the other flavors.

Stir-frying is a cooking technique that originated in China about 1500 years ago during the Zhou period (771-256 BCE). Ingredients are fried in a small amount of very hot oil while being stirred or tossed in a wok.  A wok is a deep bowl-shaped pan with sloping sides which traps, and evenly distributes, heat for fast and complete cooking of all ingredients. There are many wok sets available for sale with varying prices dependent on “name brand”, metal used, and accessories that come with the set.  Otherwise, a deep, 12-inch wide, skillet will do the trick just as well, just make sure to keep the ingredients moving so as to not burn, or have semi-cooked items.

For my dish, the protein used was shrimp, but chicken, pork, beef or tofu will work; all depends on what you enjoy.  A mixture of brightly colored vegetables included broccoli, green and red bell peppers, sugar snap peas and carrots.  Do you have to use a protein?  Only if you want to, this dish can become purely vegetarian or vegan.  Instead of ramen or udon noodles, or rice, angel hair pasta was the main carbohydrate. Worried about gluten?  There are many varieties of gluten-free pasta products, and carb consumption, in general, is like anything else, ruled by moderation.

While this could be classified as one-pan cooking, sometimes there are stages when cooking with a wok, or a skillet.  Many ingredients might need to cook at different temperatures, or need a longer or shorter cooking time.  At the end though, after all stages have been completed, the result in the one-pan displays a masterpiece of colors, textures, scents and tastes.

 

Mediterranean Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

2 (12 oz.) bags stir-fry mix (broccoli, carrots, red and green bell peppers, sugar snap peas)

2 lbs. raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. angel hair pasta, cooked and kept warm

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. dried parsley leaves

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

¼ tsp. salt

1 (5 oz.) container crumbled Feta cheese

 

Preparation:

In a wok or large skillet, heat 4 Tbsp. olive oil, medium-high heat.  Add in vegetable mix, garlic, parsley, black pepper and salt; mix thoroughly.  Cook for 3 minutes, stir to keep from sticking or burning as this will keep vegetables crisp and colorful.  Remove to bowl.

 

Increase heat to high, add 4 Tbsp. olive oil; add in shrimp.  Cook for 5 minutes, but keep them moving so they can turn pink, and get a slight sear.  Remove to bowl.

 

Reduce heat to medium-high, mix 4 Tbsp. into pasta and then place into wok or skillet.  Leave pasta alone for one minute; sizzling sound will be heard. 

 

 

Add back vegetables and shrimp, combine well and let cook for 3 minutes, mix together once every minute.  Remove from heat.

 

Place serving into large soup/salad bowl; sprinkle crumbed Feta cheese on top.

Makes 8 servings.

No matter how your new year started, try to make the year bright, colorful, and clean of negativity.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

Be An Open Book.

There are three ways to get to know what a book is all about.  Look at the cover only and form a conclusion based upon no factual information.  Read the tease on the inside, or back, cover and form a conclusion based upon rumor or gossip.  Read the entire book, beginning page to ending page, and form a conclusion on every point of factual information.

As a species, humans are comfortable when they can label each other.  That way, they can place an individual into a box or file folder, and know how to deal with them without stress.  It is also a form of protection; you know who is just like you, and who to be cautious of because they are different from you. This is what happens when only the person’s outward appearance is looked at, what is “heard” about this person, or garner facts by speaking, and getting to know, someone.

In cooking and baking, the same kind of “judgments” can be made.  Does the food look appetizing?  Many, if the answer is no, will not try the dish.  The same happens if only a little knowledge is known about the ingredients.  Who wants to put something into the mouth, only to spit it out again, and no one looks graceful doing that.  But, as I have stated before, life is an adventure, fear is the mind killer, and sometimes you just have to take the plunge.

Take, for example, the recipe I am about to give you, Mint Balls.  It is a small round cookie, very plain on the outside, but inside it is packed with mint and chocolate.  Sort of like Doctor Who and his Tardis; it looks like a small police call box, but inside it is immense.

Mint and chocolate are an enticing combination of coolness and rich decadence.  Remember the commercials for York Peppermint Patties, where someone bites into a patty and goes into another dimension of sorts.  This combination is not a 20^th century creation, but dates back to the 16^th century.  European explorers returned from the “new world” with cacao beans which were used to make a beverage by the indigenous people.  However, the drink was very bitter, so spices and herbs, one being mint, were added to make it more palpable.

The York Peppermint Pattie originated in 1940 at the York Cone Company, York, Pennsylvania, owned by Henry Kessler.  The concept developed due to consumers requesting a softer type of mint candy, but how to keep it from melting into a gooey mess.  The peppermint mixture was given a granular texture, then covered in a thick coating of dark chocolate.  Kessler’s company was eventually bought out by the Hershey Chocolate Company, Hershey, Pennsylvania, in 1988.

A rival candy to the Pattie was Junior Mints, developed in 1949 at the James O. Welch Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The idea was to make a peppermint patty that could be eaten in one bite, and had a creamier texture inside.

Other popular brands you may have tried, or simply heard about, are: Andes Candies, After Eight, Ghirardelli Squares, Lindt Balls, Dove and Palmer’s.  Ghirardelli, Lindt and Palmer’s also make peppermint bark which only comes out for the winter holidays.  So, if you do not have a clue as to what gift I will be expecting, you will not go wrong with peppermint chocolate candy.

Now here is the recipe for Mint Balls that I mentioned earlier on.  By the way, this recipe appeared in the Food for Friends cookbook, published 1995 by The Friends of The State Museum of Pennsylvania.  It was created to raise monies for the support of the museum, and my recipe was recreated during a PBS special about the museum, and the cookbook.

Happy Holidays!

 

Mint Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. salt

3 dozen “Junior Mints” candies

Preparation:

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract; slowly add the flour and salt to the creamed mixture.  Cover and chill till the batter becomes firm, but manageable.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Take the batter by teaspoon, place a candy mint in the center, and form a ball around it.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet (Air Bake is the best for baking), and continue forming balls.

Bake for 10-12 minutes; cookies will be lightly browned.

Let cool; can be eaten as is, or rolled in confectioners’ sugar.

Makes 36 cookies.

Note: before baking, the balls can be rolled in crushed nuts; and if you are seeing the pun, then have a great laugh.

Mary Cokenour