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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

On A Quest For the Martha White Cornbread Cooking Contest


Gonna do it this year. Yep, the time has come. 2012, no doom nor gloom for me. Gonna be a winner with this winning recipe. Absolutely the best cornbread brunch entrĂ© I've ever made! Gonna wipe out all those other Martha White cornbread winner wannabees. Persevered for so many years. Sailing into the victory lane. Please, please, please let me hear...and the winner is...


Di's Cheesy Sausage Cornbread Benedict w/ Skillet Hollandaise Sauce
Serves: 5   Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb maple flavored bulk sausage
2 ts oil
1 egg, beaten, plus 4 eggs for poaching
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (7 oz) package Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix
4 cups boiling water
2 T white vinegar
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 T lemon juice
1/2 ts salt
1 stick (8 T)margarine or butter
Parsley flakes

Directions:
For Cornbread Wedges:
1. Heat oven to 400° F
2. Will need two 8 inch iron skillets. Put one in freezer for later use. Yea, you heard me, put it in the freezer.
3. Brown sausage in the other skillet on medium heat until completely done. Drain, discard drippings, and set sausage aside.
4. Add the 2 ts oil to the same skillet and put in the oven to heat up.
5. Combine 1 beaten egg, milk, cheese, and cornbread mix in a 2 qt mixing bowl and stir till smooth.
6. Stir in the cooked sausage and pour mixture into the hot skillet. Cook for about 20 minutes.
For Poached Eggs:
7. In a 3 qt saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water and vinegar to a boil.
8. Reduce the boil to a whimper. Slip the 4 eggs (broken) into the water, one at a time being careful to not break yolk! Quickly use a spoon to move the egg white over and around covering the yolk for a prettier appearance.
9. Cook 3-5 minutes depending on the desired firmness. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water. This will stop the cooking and remove the vinegar taste. Eggs can now be drained and put in fridge for later use or put in a bowl of hot water to heat up again making sure to drain and place on a paper towel until assembly.
For Skillet Hollandaise:
10. Remove the other skillet from the freezer. On low heat, add the 2 beaten egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt to the skillet. Add the whole stick of margarine or butter and swirl around the skillet until sauce is thick and creamy and margarine or butter has melted, or about 8-10 minutes.
 Assemble:
11. Cut the cornbread into 4 wedges, top each wedge with a poached egg, then drizzle with the Skillet Hollandaise Sauce, and garnish with the parsley flakes. To Di For!


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Looking For a Small Place In the Ozarks...

Check Out This Wonderful Cottage In The Woods on the way to the university! Visual Tour and call John Carpenter at (479)521-6611 Ext 4210 for a showing!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Heloise Moment


I was reading Helpful Hints by Heloise in the AR/Demo Gazette newspaper today and noticed Heloise, oops, I meant Kiah Michelle, oops, Kiah Marchelle, oops, I meant Kiah Marchelle Heloise...oh, just read the history of Heloise and her daughter for yourself  http://www.heloise.com/original_heloise.html! Anyway, being an average and ordinary housewife myself, I love this column and often find many helpful hints. However, today I got a really big chuckle...
Dear Heloise: I've discovered a good use for old dishwasher racks. Use the bottom rack under a bed for shoes, etc. It rolls over carpet well. I have three under my bed, and I love them.___Ruth in Westminster, Calif. 
 Hmm, I must comment that anyone who is going through old dishwasher racks at this rate of speed needs to eat out more often or splurge on a top of the line model next time. And, that's my tip for the day...Heloise style. Have you got a favorite Heloise moment? You've also gotta love the original Heloise, an ordinary housewife who's tombstone read when she died in 1977, "Heloise, Every Housewife's Friend"...  My friend for sure!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Two Of My Favorite Centenarians

Guess who's turning 100 years old this year...the beloved Girl Scouts and the irresistible Whitman's Chocolate Sampler Box! I have grown up respecting (and devouring) both of these sweet centenarians through the years. Although I was never a Girl Scout (yes, I would have been a good one) I did serve as a Brownie Leader (that's what stay-at-home moms with little girls do) for four years. One of my favorite parts of the program, besides empowering young girls to build "courage, confidence, and character" in themselves, was the annual cookie sale. The cookie drive was also beneficial in helping the girls develop valuable and essential life skills such as "goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics." Wow! How sweet a deal is that? If you're considering volunteer opportunities, check them out.


Another old friend of mine, is the classic Whitman's Sampler Box. How many of these little treasure chests have I been through in my life time? And, the familiar yellow, cross stitched box always seems too elegant to toss out. I use to save them and use them as storage boxes for all sorts of things, but now I just put them in the recycle bin. Maybe if I had ever received one from a beau or husband, I might have held on to it. I did get a small, red, heart-shaped box of chocolates from a terrific guy (Garry Lamb, fourth grade) one time, which I saved and tucked away in my cherished memory box full of great and secretive stuff. Humm, wonder what ever happened to all that priceless stuff...  Anyway, I still have the memory and I'll never forget Garry's wonderful gesture. Humm, wonder what ever happened of Garry?