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Monday, April 27, 2009

Wrapping it up

Okay, I feel guilty about culture schilling for Kraft so I figure I ought to push some homemade food. Tonight I felt a bit lazy so I made wraps. I had been thinking about the 1988 film, The Milagro Beanfield War, (which is actually on the idiot box as I type - great film) and got in the mood for some Hispanic flavours. I used some pork shoulder that I had steamed for four hours last night and proceeded thusly:

- Sauteed steamed pork in olive oil on medium/low heat with two cloves of garlic, diced onion and chilis - including chipolte.
- As they cook together, I added 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, 1/8 a cup of parsley and a pinch of hot paprika.
- I added a small amount of 5 year old English cheddar.
- Lastly, I added in some brown rice and black beans and sauteed it with the rest of the ingredients for about five minutes.
- I rolled it all in white flour tortillas and consumed.

Gotta say, it was damned tasty. Geo - learn to love the cilantro.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Getting Curried Away

When I was in my teens I put curry in just about everything. I loved it and the sensory overload it provided in the way only a teenager truly can. It started actually because my Mum was concerned with my salt intake and wanted to find ways to drastically reduce it. She had made her own spice mix at first and it was good, but eventually I wanted something with more punch so out came the curry.
One of the things I loved to dump curry into was Kraft Dinner. Not that I want extol the "virtues" of a major food manufacturer, but I revisited that flavour twice recently and was not disappointed. But how to add it? When I was a kid it went in with the cheese mix, but what if I let it cook into the margarine for bit? Sounds like a good idea, makes sense in a more grown up sort of way - but it actually doesn't work as well as adding it straight in. Figuring I might try using coconut milk the next time.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Grammacake

When I was little and we went to see my grandparents my grandma always baked amazing things. One of my all time awesome favourite things she would make for us was Johnnie Cake - a simple sweet buttermilk cornbread loaf that you'd slice and have warm with syrup for breakfast. My Mum would make it occasionally as a treat too. I LOVED it.

A few years ago, long after my Grandma passed on, I had a craving for Johnnie Cake...and the recipe could not be found. My Mum misplaced it (after we all left the nest she didn't make it anymore) and every cornbread or johnniecake recipe I tried just wasn't right. Just not good enough to match up to what I remembered. My husband J just didn't get why I just had to make it...the recipes I had found just weren't that memorable. He had not tasted the deliciousness...

A few weeks ago I was over at my brother's place and we were talking about favourite foods...I mentioned Johnnie Cake and he said "Oh, I have the recipe for that. Mum gave it to me when I moved out". Wah! SCORE! I wrote it down (along with a few other awesome things I had no written recipe for) and that very saturday morning I introduced J to the awesome wonders of Grammacake AKA Johnnie Cake.


I think you all should make this for yourself on a lazy weekend morning. It makes enough for a few breakfasts and reheats great...

Grace's Johnnie Cake


3 c cornmeal
1 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 c sugar
1 t soda
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2-2 c buttermilk (sour milk works in a pinch, but buttermilk is WAY better)
2 t melted margarine

Mix dry ingredients. Add beaten eggs and enough buttermilk to make a smooth dough. Add melted margarine last. Mix well. Bake in a loaf pan @ 325 for 50-60 minutes (until a toothpick/knife comes out clean).
Let it cool out of the pan for 5 minutes. Slice 1 cm thick slices and serve with syrup and some bacon.

Heaven in a cake...