Sunday, December 28, 2008

Corn Meal Pancakes


I did not make cornbread for our New Year meal but I made corn meal pancakes instead. Everyone liked them, so I guess I did okay. Here is the recipe.

Needed:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 1/3 cups white corn meal
2 eggs-beaten
4 T oil
1 2/3 cups milk at room temperature

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add corn meal and mix well. Combine beaten eggs, oil and milk to mixture. Beat until smooth. Cook on oiled griddle. Only turn the pancakes once. I like mine with butter on them but my husband likes them plain.

Zuppa Toscana Soup


The first time I had this soup I was at the 25th Anniversary of the Reader Exchange Party thrown by the Tulsa World. Linda Fraizier made this soup and it was soo good I rushed home to make it! The only thing I do different is I use Italian pork sausage. You have to try this soup! It is so cold on Beaty's Creek that I am wearing socks with my Birks today. Note, I never wear socks! We eat this with homemade french bread.

3-4 slices bacon cooked crisp
1 pound spicy Italian sausage- chopped and browned (Linda uses Healthy Choice Sausage)
3-4 shallots-minced
1 onion-chopped
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 bunch kale-leaves removed from stem and chopped (if you live in a small town kale will be hard to find so use spinach)
4-5 red potatoes scrubbed and chopped into bite size pieces
4 cups of chicken broth
2 cups half and half



Brown sausage and bacon with onion and garlic. Once sausage and bacon are cooked add broth. Scrap bottom of pot to release all the goodies the bacon and sausage left behind. At this time add the potatoes cook them until fork tender. This will not take very long. Once the potatoes are done add the kale or spinach. The greens will wilt very fast, so don't be scared that you added too much. Right before serving add your half and half. RIGHT BEFORE SERVING ADD THE HALF AND HALF! If you add it any earlier you will have soured half and half in your soup. Yuck!! I did this the first time I made the soup and was very sad to throw it out but that is what I had to do. Make some homemade bread and enjoy!