BRAINPAN LEAKAGE

Damn… Today “snuck” up on me. Seriously… O_o

So, I am so busy that I’m meeting myself coming and going. Just finished prepping elebenty-twelb-bazillion mini tea sammiches for the o-spring’s Tea Party Project with her Gifted Class today. (NO, not THAT kind of tea party, the REAL kind with tea, snacks, and etiquette. You know, the kind you can actually take seriously and not just shake your head…) Anywho, I have tons more stuff to do – and that’s just BEFORE I deliver the sammiches…

So… Here’s a quickie blog. Since everyone is always asking me for recipes whenever I mention foodstuffs, here’s my personal recipe for Cheese Stuffed Cornbread – just like we had last night with the Black Eyed Peas and Smoked Turkey:

Merp’s Cheese Stuffed Cornbread

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1.25 Cups Milk
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 TBSP Jalapeño Juice (from jar of sliced Jalapeños)

Dry Ingredients

• 1 Cup Flour (AP)
• 1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 TBSP Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 Cup Sugar (Optional)

Other

• Bacon Grease or Lard
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Sharp or Mild, your choice)
• Cast Iron Skillet – 10″
• Butter

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease Skillet with Bacon Grease/Lard, set aside.

Beat eggs, then mix together with the rest of the wet ingredients until fully incorporated and smooth. Will be somewhat thick.

Sift together all dry ingredients in a large bowl, make a “well” in the center, and pour in pre-mixed wet ingredients. Stir with a rubber/silicone spatula, using a folding motion, until fully incorporated. Mixture should be wet but lumpy, do NOT overmix.

Pour 1/3 of mixture into skillet and smooth to edges with spatula. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Pour remaining 2/3 of mixture on top of cheese and carefully spread out.

Place in 400 degree oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Approximately 30 minutes.

Poke several holes in top with toothpick or fork. Apply butter to top, return to oven for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with Beans, Greens, Soups, or just about anything where cornbread is desired.

Optional: Add crumbled bacon, or minced Jalapeños to the mix.

More to come…

Murv

It really was one of those truly peculiar moments in life.

I mean the kind where you feel that sudden rush of elation because you know that the finely crafted, long-thought-out trap you have set has sprung, and in the process has snared the prey. Of course, what makes it so peculiar is that the bubble of elation pops quickly, and is replaced all at once by the vacuum of realization that you have no clue what you are going to do with said prey now that you have snared it.

Of course, that is also followed by the gut-wrenching fear you feel because of exactly what that prey is. In this case, it was a redhead.

I suppose I should back up a bit…

You see, around here, one of the favored snacks of Her Supreme Royal Redheaded Highness, the O-spring, and, well, Moi, is Triscuits. However, we especially like them after you lay them out on a plate, sprinkle them liberally with shredded cheese, then take them for a spin in the microwave for 15 – 45 seconds. Timing is crucial, but there’s a wide range. It largely depends on the type of cheese, as well as the thickness of the shred layer you lay down.

You don’t want them to go too long, otherwise the cheese goes nuclear and all but evaporates. Too little and the shreds are just a little sweaty, so they fall off. Nope… You have to time it exactly, so that you achieve the proper level of melty clingage and bubbly cheesiness. A second too much, and even if you don’t evaporate the cheese you end up with molten dairy lava that will take the skin right off your lips and the roof of your mouth.

Not good at all…

But, yeah, I’m sorta digressing. You see, the thing here is that whenever E K or the O-spring fixes themselves a plate of Melty Triscuit Treats, they eat them. I know… Sort of a natural progression. Makes all kinds of sense. Except when you add this to the mix: Whenever I make myself a plate of Melty Triscuit Treats, they eat them.

See what I mean? Kinda makes you wonder how it is that I know that I actually like them, eh? I mean, what with me not getting to eat them and all.

Well, that’s where the trap came in. As it happens, I like spicy food. Peppery spicy is my friend. I am a bit of a connoisseur of peppers, as much as a redneck like myself can be a connoisseur. Anyhow, that being the case, I happen to have a bottle of ground Chipotle pepper in the cabinet. If you are unfamiliar with Chipotle, it is a smoked Jalapeño. Good stuff.

See where I’m heading? Well, just in case you are being a little myopic today, allow me to explain: I discovered that I like ground Chipotle sprinkled on my Melty Triscuit Treats. I figured this out when I was home alone and fixed myself a plate of the little snack squares. I wanted to jazz them up a bit, and, well, there you go…

But, back to that whole trap thing…

So, I sprinkled my Melty Triscuit Treats with ground Chipotle, started them rotating in the microwave, then stepped out for the briefest of moments. As I exited the kitchen, a red blur flew past me on it’s way into said kitchen. I’m sure you can guess the identity of the blur. It’s like she had Melty Triscuit Treats radar or something.

Evil Kat being Evil

Anywho, the microwave squealed that it was finished, all the while joined by the excited clack of stiletto heels as The Redhead danced about in anticipation. A split second later I heard the door of the appliance open, and then… wait for it… the scream.

At first it was sort of a pained yelp, and that was followed by a rather loud, “What The…” Then, Her Worship began demanding my presence via her typical, stern,  “Lackey! Come here, NOW!”

I had to explain what I had done to the Melty Triscuit Treats, as they did not meet with her approval. I muttered something about ill gotten gains, and that’s pretty much the last thing I remember before waking up on the floor with crushed up, Chipotle sprinkled, Melty Triscuit Treats and size 7 E K shoe prints all over me.

I guess that’ll teach me to fix myself a snack, now won’t it?

More to come…

Murv