~This recipe is based on several recipes that I have combined and tweaked over the years to create a simple, easy, but delicious cornbread recipe.  The real revelation came when I started making my own corn totillas (and bought corn masa – which is simply corn flour). I thought, why not replace the flour with corn flour? I guess this is also gluten free...

Ingredients:

¾ c. cornmeal
¾ c. corn masa
2-1/2 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp NaCl
1 14oz can of creamed corn
2 eggs
3 T grease

Directions

1.                  Preheat over to 400 degrees F.
2.                  Place either a cast iron skillet or a square glass baking dish in the oven with the grease. Let the grease melt and become hot.
3.                  Mix together dry ingredients.
4.                  Pour in creamed corn and eggs. Mix gently until just combined. Pour about half the hot grease in the batter and mix a 10 – 15 times (batter should make a sizzling sound if the grease is hot enough, it will still turn out even if it doesn't sizzle – I usually have it hot enough 50% of the time).
5.                  Pour into hot skillet or pan.  Bake for 10 – 15 minutes. Outer edges should be brown and the middle should not jiggle when the pan is slide back and forth.
6.                  Turn out on plate and serve immediately.

I like the cornbread plain, however, if you would like it to be sweeter, try eating a piece with honey or molassas poured over the top.  Yum!!!

I journey forth rejoicing

From this dark vale of tears,
To heavenly joy and freedom,
From earthly bonds and fears;
Where Christ our Lord shall gather
All His redeemed again,
His kingdom to inherit.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

Why thus so sadly weeping,
Beloved ones of my heart?
The Lord is good and gracious,
Though now He bids us part.
Oft have we met in gladness.
And we shall meet again,
All sorrow left behind us.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

I go to see His glory,
Whom we have loved below:
I go, the blessed angels,
The holy saints to know.
Our lovely ones departed,
I go to find again,
And wait for you to join us.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

I hear the Savior calling,
The joyful hour has come:
The angel guards are ready
To guide me to our home,
Where Christ our Lord shall gather
All His redeemed again,
His kingdom to inherit.
Goodnight, goodnight till then!

Written by Matthew Smith (based on an old German hymn). 

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding

(A really quick and delicious) dessert

 

I always keep vanilla wafers and bananas around for this simple recipe (and because I enjoy snaking on both of them).  Sometimes, when I am craving pudding, I whip the pudding part of this recipe together and eat it.

 

Ingredients:

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

dash salt

4 egg yolks

2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla

6 to 8 ripe bananas

3 dozen vanilla wafers

 

4 egg whites

6 T sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

In a saucepan, mix sugar, flour, salt, egg yolks, and milk.  Mix well.  Cook until mixture thickens.  Stir frequently (if you are not going to stir frequently, I suggest using a double boiler, I find it takes longer and is more work to clean).  Once the mixture thickens, remove from heat and add vanilla.

 

In a loaf pan, make layers of cooked custard, sliced bananas, and finally vanilla wafers.  Create three layers of each or more if your pan and ingredients permit (I have done 2 layers before when I was low on vanilla wafers).

 

Beat egg whites until frothy and then add the cream of tartar.  Beat until the whites stand in soft peaks that fall over when the beater is removed.  Continue to beat the egg whites, added one T of sugar at a time (I just measure each tablespoon and throw it in, I don't wait between scoops). Lastly, add the vanilla.

Spread the meringue over the pudding.  Make sure to cover the edges of the pan.  Bake for 15 minute or until meringue is slightly brown.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Blessed be wisdom and the power

the justice and the grace
that joined in cousel to restore
and save our ruined race

Our father Adam ate the fruit

and from his glory fell
and we his children then were brought
to death and near to hell

praise be to God that sent his son

to take on flesh and blood
he gave his life a sacrifice
to make our peace with God

He honored all his father's laws

which we had disobeyed
he bore our sins apon the cross
for us the randsom paid

He rose victorious from the grave

and now he lives on high
he plead his merits there to save
transgressors doomed to die

There on a glorious throne he pleads

and by his power divine
redeems us from the slavish chains
of satan and of sin

Some day the Lord will come to judge

and with a soverign voice
shall call the dead from every grave
while living saints rejoice

Oh then may I with joy appear

before the judge's face
and with the saints forever know
sing his redeeming grace

If you have children, listen to Judy Rogers.  If you do not have children yet, listen to Judy Rogers.  If you never plan to have children, list to Judy Rogers.  Her songs are so rich and they stick in your head. My Mom gave me two Judy Rogers cds while I was pregnant (Why Can't I See God & Go To The Ant).  Martin and I listen to them quite often now.

Here are some of our favorites music:

Judy Rogers
G.T. And the Halo Express
Seeds (I actually do not own any of these yet, but I want to)
Indelible Grace (I own all but the lastest one)

Caramel Corn

Note: The original recipe called for 16 cups of popped popcorn. I used 30 or 32 cups because the popcorn looked way too sugary when I started to make it. If you like your popcorn super drenched in syrup, then cut the popcorn back to the original 16 cups. It will be amazing either way.

Other note: Fisher's popcorn has the corn syrup listed higher in the ingredient list than the butter. I am guessing they use more corn syrup and bring the sugar mixture to a hard ball stage. This would eliminate the need to bake it. However, I like how the baking step of this recipe dries the popcorn out further and gives it an extra crunch.

Ingredients:

30 cups popped popcorn (1-1/2 cups unpopped corn)

1 c. butter (2 sticks)

1-2/3 cups brown sugar, packed (is there ever a recipe that calls for unpacked brown sugar?)

½ cup corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

peanuts (optional)

* Pop popcorn. I have an old air popper that my parents were going to throw away that I saved for my children to enjoy someday (I remember being so amazed as a child watching the popcorn pop). Martin wasn't quite as excited as I had hoped, but he still has some time to appreciate how cool it is.

* Grease two rimmed baking sheets (13x9 baking pans would work in a pinch and might be easier to stir). I used fake PAM, but you could easily use butter or fake crisco.

* Melt butter in pan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to boil over medium-high heat (this is for an electric over, for gas I would cook at a lower temperature). Stop stirring when it comes to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes. I boiled mine a bit longer because I was testing to see what stage the sugar was. It seemed to be about soft ball or a bit before.

* Take off the heat and add in the baking soda and vanilla.

* I had a super large bowl that held all the popped popcorn and a regular large bowl that I stirred small batches of the popcorn around in. I poured in about 5 cups of popcorn and 1/6^th of the sugary mixture into the bowl. I stired it until it was well coated and then dumped it onto the cookie sheets.

* Bake at 250 degrees F for 60 minutes. Stir at the 30, 45, and 60 minute marks. I left my batches on the trays to cool on wire racks. The original recipe says to pour on parchment paper and let cool. As my brother says, “whatever is clever”.

Last note: If you want to add peanuts, I found that dumping the sugary mixture directly on top of them helped stick them to the popcorn a little bit better. However, still most of the peanuts fell to the bottom. I haven't solved this problem yet. If any of you have suggestions or find a way to make them stick better, let me know!!