Perfect Buttermilk Cornbread

February 10, 2011 by Aliesha

I love this cornbread recipe. Forget Jiffy Mix – this is the cornbread you’ll want to make from here on out! It’s moist (not dry or crumbly) and has just the perfect amount of sweetness. Please note: I did not start by advertising this as a super-healthy recipe. Sure, you shouldn’t eat it every week (oh, but you’ll want to…), but every now and then won’t kill you. I like serving it with a big bowl of chili! (Original recipe here; directions and pictures my own.)

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2/3 cup sugar (or less, if you prefer a less-sweet cornbread)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. lemon juice, plus enough milk to make 1 cup (or use 1 cup buttermilk)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour (whole-wheat also works)
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish (I like my glass Pyrex). In a large skillet, melt a stick of butter. Remove from heat. Add sugar, stirring to combine. Quickly add eggs, stirring to combine. Combine baking soda with soured milk (or buttermilk) and add to mixture in skillet. Add cornmeal, flour, and salt. Mix thoroughly to get rid of lumps. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes (30 worked for me) until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Cut into nine hearty pieces.

*Note: this recipe freezes well, so feel free to make a double-batch and freeze one after baking and cooling!

Enjoy!

(when made with buttermilk) Calories: 284 | Total Fat: 12.2g | Cholesterol: 67mg

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Creamy Tomato Soup

February 4, 2011 by Aliesha

Today it’s cold and rainy where we live, which makes it (in my opinion), perfect weather for a bowl of warm soup! I didn’t know I liked tomato soup until I tried this easy recipe (which came straight out of an old Simple and Delicious magazine). It tastes so good that I wanted to lick my bowl after I was finished! Hope you also enjoy this recipe while you wait for spring to get here!

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 large can (29 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of hot sauce
a few grinds of black pepper
green onions, croutons, and/or shredded cheese for garnish

Whisk together tomato sauce, cream, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, hot sauce, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat slowly but do not boil. Serve with green onions and/or croutons on top.

Serves 3-4.

Enjoy!

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Tortellini Spinach Soup

January 26, 2011 by Aliesha

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite go-to recipes! This soup is easy to throw together (I made it in 30 minutes earlier this week) and is surprisingly filling. I try to keep the ingredients for it on hand so I can make it often! I buy my tortellini and spinach at Aldi, so it’s pretty frugal for me to make. For us, it gives plenty of leftovers for lunches later in the week. Hope you like it as much as we do! (I found the original recipe here and modified it slightly.)

Tortellini Spinach Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken (or vegetable) stock (I use low-sodium or homemade)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, for a little heat (optional)
1 package cheese tortellini (1 lb.)
several large handfuls of raw spinach (around 4 cups, but you can add more or less as desired)
salt & pepper
grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot on the stove top over medium. Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add garlic and saute an additional 1-2 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. Add red pepper flakes (optional). Bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook about 3 minutes (follow package directions). Add spinach and heat just until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.