Blueberry Orange Bread

I look at this little plaque every day. It hangs in my kitchen above my stand mixer and it reminds me of my Grandma, Edna Smith Browne. She had it hanging in her kitchen for many, many years. I miss her on a daily basis because of who she was, all she taught me, and my memories of things we did together. She is still an inspiration to me to be a better woman. So, I've been looking at this plaque and realized I've never tried the recipe on it. So I did!

It calls for: 3 cups all purpose flour (I used two c. ap and one cup wheat)
3/4 c. sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon salt (I did a scant teaspoon!)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 c milk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange peel (I just zested one orange because that is all I had)
2/3 cup orange juice (again just squeezed one orange)
1 cup fresh, frozen, or drained canned blueberries
1/2 chopped walnuts (I omitted since I don't like nuts in my baked goods)

I started by creaming the butter and sugar. Then I added the milk and eggs. Then I mixed the dry ingredients separately and added them in to the mix. Then I added the orange zest and juice and finally folded in the blueberries by hand. I started to put it all in one bread pan but I didn't know if the batter would rise too much since it had a whole tablespoon of baking powder plus some baking soda. So I put most of the batter in the bread pan and then made six "muffins" out of the rest. It would have been fine all in one bread pan-but my daughter loved it as a muffin. So I may skip the bread pan all together next time! Then I baked the bread at 350 degrees for an hour or so.

It was so yummy! We really enjoyed the bright taste of the orange. And it was a nice change from the typical banana bread I normally make. As I mixed the bread I thought, "Oh Grandma, you are probably laughing at me right now for trying a recipe on a wall-hanging!" But as it turns out, it is a delicious recipe! I like to think she tried it on a whim one day and fed it to her children too. Yummy!

Make Ahead Caramel French Toast

On one of our visits to see my good friend, Christy Smith, she made us this wonderful breakfast of Caramel French Toast, pigs-in-a-blanket, and fresh fruit.  She was living in Jackson, MS at the time while her husband was attending medical school.  This is now a family favorite and the perfect breakfast for special occasions.

Make Ahead Caramel French Toast

Topping:

1 c. brown sugar

6 TB butter

1/3 c. whipping cream

1 TB light corn syrup

French toast:

3 eggs

1/2 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

8 (3/4 " thick) diagonal slices of french bread

Spray 9 x 13" glass baking dish with Pam.  In med. saucepan, combine all topping ingredients.  Mix well. Cook over medium heat till smooth, stirring constantly.  DO NOT BOIL.  Spread topping in baking dish.  

Beat eggs in shallow bowl.  Add milk, vanilla, and salt.  Beat well.  Dip each bread slice in egg mixture, making sure all egg is absorbed.  Place bread slices over topping in pan.  Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.  

To serve, bake uncovered 20-25 minutes @ 350 or until bubbly and golden brown.  Let stand 3 minutes.  Invert on platter, if desired.

Cornbread (two ways)

Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't. . .self-rising cornmeal, that is.  The first recipe is the original recipe that is the first step to "Cornbread Dressing", the second one is my new favorite.  You can choose which one you want to use.


Cornbread recipe #1 (Jane Vaughn's recipe):


2 cups of self-rising cornmeal
1 egg
1-1/2 c. milk
1/8 c. oil
1 TB cornmeal


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix first 3 ingredients together well.  Add oil to an iron skillet on medium heat.  Sprinkle tablespoon of cornmeal over oil and brown slightly.  Add cornmeal mixture and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.




Cornbread recipe #2 (Pioneer Woman's recipe- yep, I straight up copied and pasted it onto this blog):

• 1/4 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Shortening
• 1 cup Yellow Corn Meal
• 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 
  
• CORNBREAD: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat shortening in an iron skillet, muffin pan, or other baking pan. Combine corn meal, flour, and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, milk, and egg. Add baking powder and baking soda. Stir. Add ¼ cup melted shortening, stirring constantly. Pour into hot pan, smoothing surface with spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• 
  

Cornbread Dressing

Growing up with a Korean mother and an Italian/Welch father, our holidays were atypical.  Thanksgiving was always a huge feast, of course, but it was always a variety of Korean dishes as well as the traditional "American" meal.  Stuffing was usually made from a bag, and I loved it.  However, Jane Vaughn (an employer and long-time friend) introduced us to the most moist and delicious cornbread dressing I have ever had.  I would even dare to say that it tastes better than Cracker Barrel's!  GASP!  Thanks to my sister, Jean (who knows just how to ask politely for recipes and who could probably manage to get even the most treasured secret family recipes with her smile and panache), I now have that recipe!  I always get great complements when I make it. My motto on this on is "One's you go homemade cornbread dressing, you never go back!"



1 skillet cornbread (see "Cornbread" recipes)
3 boiled eggs, chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1- 49.5 oz can chicken broth
1- 14.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of water
3 tsp ground sage
salt and pepper to taste (I usually don't add any salt)

Crumble cornbread in a large mixing bowl and set aside.  Heat chicken broth, soup, water, onions and celery in medium stock pot, cook until onions and celery are tender.  Add chopped eggs, sage, salt, pepper and soup mixture to cornbread and mix well.  Mixture will be soupy.  Bake in a 9 x 13" baking dish for 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes (or until golden brown).




Giblet Gravy Recipe (optional)

1 can cream of chicken soup
2 small cans of chicken broth
1/2 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 boiled egg, chopped
1-2 TB cornstarch
1 c. water

Saute onions and celery in oil until tender.  Mix soups and broth together in a med. saucepan.  Add onions and celery to saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook approx. 20 minutes.  Add cornstarch to 1 c. water, dissolve and then add to mixture, cook until thickened.  If sauce is too thin, add more cornstarch (with water) and if too thick, add more liquid.

Easy Candy Bar Pie

Sometimes you just need "easy".  This pie is one of those that yields an awesome product.  Too bad Izzy can't have a slice. . .I guess I'll just have to eat her slice too! Thanks, Carol for this one from Pie Night!

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1- 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter or 1/2 c. chunky peanut butter

3 regular sized candy bars (snickers or Heath)

16 oz Cool whip, thawed (plus more for garnish)

2 - 6 oz Oreo cookie pie crust or 2 - 6 oz graham cracker pie crust

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until creamy.  Stir in chopped candy bars.  Gently fold in the Cool whip just until mixed.  Pour into crusts and refrigerate overnight.  top with more whipped cream.

Killer French Silk Chocolate Pie (literally)

Lori Pierce arrived in Columbus, MS the same time I did.  We had a few things in common-- our husbands were employed at Kerr-McGee, we both had newborn babies and we both were new to the Columbus ward.  Now Lori is the kind of person who knows a lot about a lot of things.  She also loves a good "argument", and because of this, not many people appreciate her wisdom.  This is one of her awesome recipes.  She also makes wonderful rolls and "ovaltine and toast", but I'll save that for another post.

According to Lori, this is the pie that put her grandmother into a diabetic coma.  So you have been warned!  It is so delicious, but a slice is best shared-- for happiness as well as your health!

Pastry Pie Crust:

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp vinegar

1 c. oil

1/4-1/2 c. ice water

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ones.  Mix well.  This crust is very oily and difficult to roll out.  You can just press it into the pie pan with your fingers.  If cooking unfilled, bake at 350 degrees just until the top edges turn a light brown.

French Silk Chocolate Pie (Pillsbury bake-off winner)

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 c. butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 c. cholesterol-free egg product

Prepare and bake crust.  Cool.  Melt chocolate and cool.  In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy; add sugar gradually beating until light and fluffy.  Blend in cooled chocolate and vanilla.  Add egg product 1/4 c. at a time, beating at high speed for 2 minutes after each addition.  Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Pour into the cooled, baked pie shell.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.  Store in refrigerator.

Per slice:  Calories: 400; Fat 28g

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is a favorite to my brother, Kyong, and my husband, Ty.  I thought I had a few good recipes, but this one is AWESOME!


We had a most excellent RS activity where we simply brought different pies and ate them.  I tell ya, it was my kind of evening!  Rachel Jolley who is a most excellent cook brought this pie and recipe (from "The Best Recipe" by the editors of Cooks Illustrated,  so I had to post it.  She even gave us some great tips to help make a soft and smooth pecan pie without a soggy crust.  Here it is. . .
1) Take the pie out of the oven before it is completely done (it will continue to cook after being removed from the oven and the butter in the pie will solidify as it cools).
2) Cook at a low temperature to avoid curdling
3) By adding hot filling to an already hot crust, you can reduce the cooking time and avoid a soggy crust
4) Pre-toast the pecans


1 pie crust
6 TB unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 TB vanilla extract
2 c. pecans, toasted and chopped


Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Partially bake pie shell (lightly golden brown).


Meanwhile, melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer.  Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed.  Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla.  Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and hot to the touch (about 130 degrees).  Remove from heat, stir in pecans.


As soon as pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease oven temperature to 275 degrees.  Pour pecan mixture into hot pie shell. 


Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin when gently pressed, 50-60 minutes.  Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.  Serve pie at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.