Smokey Bacon and Cheddar Johnnycake

The other day, I was cleaning out my pantry and found a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix. It’s probably been there since around Thanksgiving when I make a corn-bread based stuffing (Chestnut and Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing). Every year, I make the cornbread base the day before Thanksgiving to give it time to thoroughly dry out before making the stuffing. And each year, I have to hide the base because little fingers come around pulling off little pieces to where I wind up with not enough of the base!

That got me to thinking, what if I make an actual cornbread with a similar technique to the stuffing base and just leave it at that stage? What if I add some extra flavor to it? Would it be good on its own?

This morning I began experimenting and I must say, the experiment has been a success. With what I had in the house, this is what the result was:

Smokey Bacon and Cheddar Johnnycake
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix
1 large egg
¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 slices of thick center-cut bacon, browned and crumbled
~ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
~ 1 tsp dried thyme
~ 1 Tbs chili powder

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Spray non-stick cooking spray in an 8x8 baking dish.
Put cornbread mix in a bowl. Add thyme and chili powder.
Add egg and chicken stock. Stir until combined.
Fold in bacon and cheese.
Pour into prepared baking dish and bake 20-25 minutes, until brown on top.

This is tasty on its own, or would be a great accompaniment to eggs or chili.
Enjoy!

For the Love of Food

It should come as no surprise in these tough economic times why the Comfort Food movement has been taking off. For many, food is so closely tied in with their memories it can become difficult to distinguish if it’s the memory you love or the food itself.

Do you have any foods you think of as "comfort food?" In my travels, I've seen just about everything be considered a Comfort Food: meatloaf, jellied fish, pancakes... but in all cases, a great comfort food experience encompasses all of the senses. Not just the act of eating.

Maybe when you were a kid, Mom would bake chocolate chip cookies after a particularly bad day. It’s not just the chocolate chip cookie you remember but the whole experience: The smell of the sugar caramelizing, the sounds of dishes clanking, watching the cookies spread and puff through the glass door on the oven, taking a cookie off the rack that’s probably just a bit too hot for your little fingers to touch but you can’t wait any longer to bite into the ooey gooey chocolaty goodness. And in that moment, you’re not thinking about the kid who was mean to you on the bus or the teacher who caught you passing notes in class. Just for that moment, you feel is how special you must be to have someone that loves you enough to do what she can to make you feel better.

Maybe for you it’s not cookies. Maybe it’s Grandma’s hot chocolate after playing in the snow. Or eating Aunt Linda’s crunchy fried chicken with your entire, loud family outside on the picnic table surrounded by freshly cut grass and blooming flowers.

Now that we’re grown, sometimes we have to take our comfort into our own hands. I was recently having a rough day. Just the typical woes: work getting you down, money troubles, the health of loved ones. I needed a pick-me-up in a big way. I needed to engage my senses. Here’s what I did:

Quick Marinara Sauce

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled Italian tomatoes

1 big clove garlic, minced

1 large shallot, finely diced

¼ cup dry white wine

Hefty pinch dried Basil

Half that pinch of dried Oregano and dried Thyme

I was feeling lazy and didn’t feel like cutting up the tomatoes so I pulled out the food processor and gave them a whirl. Then,

* Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in an enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat.

* Add shallot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, stir and cook until you can smell the garlic.

* Add white wine and bring to a bubble. Add dried herbs and let wine cook for 1-2 minutes.

* Add pureed tomatoes and stir.

* Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

** Use right away as spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, the base for a meat sauce, lasagna, for chicken parmesan or freeze it in (labeled!) zipper baggies for another day.

The house smelled fantastic and my mood lifted. Like getting a much needed hug.

Keep in mind the next time your child, brother, girlfriend, husband or friend is in need. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. Taking a few extra moments to cater to someone’s senses is a great way to show them you care.

Salad Splendor

Who says salads have to be boring? Today's lunch included:

Fresh Baby Spinach with Crispy Lardons, Poached Egg drizzled with a Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Finely diced shallot
Fresh lemon juice
Dijon mustard
Honey
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

The egg is poached enough to hold its shape but with a soft center. The Lardons (in this case, good old fashioned bacon) are crispy. The dressing is tangy and the spinach, rich.

Not bad for a dreary Sunday!

Bliss Casserole - Vegetarian Cooking

It started slowly, a tingle in the back of my mind. For the last few weeks, I've been thinking about wanting to play with vegetarian dishes. Next thing I knew, this morning my creative juices were flowing like apple cider in October, and by the time the Giants game started, the internal brainstorm session was in full swing.

Black beans... black beans with something in the orange family... pumpkin? Butternut squash? Sweet potatoes. Ok, black beans and sweet potatoes with... Contrasting flavors and textures... spinach. What if they all go together? Like a casserole? Something on the bottom - has to be fresh.

The result? Something I'm calling Bliss Casserole. Why Bliss? Because I happened the flavors were heavenly and when before I could think of a better name, I saw an open bottle of Bliss Cabernet Sauvignon on the counter.

The presentation needs some work - Each layer needs to be set one at a time instead of all at once.

Layer 1 (bottom): Green Rice; long-grain rice with cilantro and lime zest
Layer 2: Black bean puree with a hint of jalapeno and onion
Layer 3: Wilted spinach with garlic and nutmeg
Layer 4: Mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon, chipotle, lime juice and a touch of brown sugar

The key is to flavor each layer as if you would eat it on its own. Make sure each is seasoned to your liking with salt and pepper.

Bon Appetite.

Arroz con Pollo

Years ago while in culinary school, I had a chef-instructor who would always whip up a batch of her "Mexican Rice" while we worked in the kitchen. To me, it was a little bit of heaven after a challenging day slaving over a hot stove. Never having seen her make it, the memory of its flavors and textures stayed with me. I know she used a lot of whatever was laying around so some nights there would be chicken or various forms of pork in it so while different every time, somehow it remained constant in my memory. Still unable to replicate it, I'd almost given up. Until last night...

While this isn't a perfect replica, this version conjured the same comfort and deliciousness that Chef's dish provided. Which also proves that recipes are mere suggestions. If the overall dish is successful, who cares if you used only had a red pepper but no green? Trust me, noone will care.

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled and was created with what I had on hand - just make sure you use 1 part rice to 2 parts water.

Yield: 3-4 portions

Arroz con Pollo

½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
½ small yellow onion, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ cup dry white wine
¾ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. ground chipotle
½ cup long-grain rice
1 cup water
1/3 cup canned diced or chopped tomatoes
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
2 Tbs capers, drained and rinsed
¼ cup green olives, chopped
2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large, heavy pot (with a lid) and brown chicken on both sides, 2 min per side. Using tongs, remove chicken and set aside.

Add an additional 1 Tbs olive oil and add onion, garlic and both peppers and cook over medium-high heat until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Let the wine bubble until reduced.

Add rice and stir to coat with the olive oil and vegetables. Add in water, tomatoes, paprika, chipotles and reserve chicken and any accumulated juices.

Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Add in frozen corn and peas, cover and let cook an additional 5 minutes.

Stir in olives, capers and parsley and serve.