An Early Thanksgiving

This past weekend we got together with some friends to celebrate an early Thanksgiving because one of them is being deployed in the next week and won't be home to celebrate the holidays with his family and friends. This young man was in middle school when I met him. He is now a grown man, married, and has a precious child of his own. He's headed off on his second tour of duty.

On Sunday morning our church had a special Veteran's Day program. My eyes filled with tears as this young man I've watched grow up stood in front of the church along with 45 to 50 men and women who have served, or are serving now, in the U. S. Military. I am so thankful to him, to my Dad, and to all the others who have served or are serving now to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today. Thank goodness there are still those who volunteer to serve!

As I was deciding what to bring to this early Thanksgiving, I automatically thought of what my family always has on Thanksgiving and Christmas - two of my favorite times of the year! Turkey (there's another story here about a deep-fried turkey but I'll save that for another day), dressing (made by my Dad), green beans, corn pudding, sweet potato souffle, cranberry relish, pumpkin pie. As family and friends gather together to share all the blessings we've experienced in the past year, we also share some some really good food. Why do we only make some of these dishes on these two days?

One of the dishes I took Saturday night to the get together was Corn Pudding. Several of the people there said they had never had corn pudding, but it's something my family has had at Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember. The Microwave Corn Pudding is actually my favorite, and the one we normally make. Both are good!

As I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas at home with family and friends, I remember all the young men and women who will be far away from home on these special days. I pray for their safety and quick return home, and am so thankful for their sacrifice!



Microwave Corn Pudding - Serves 8
(Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for family get togethers!!)

1 can creamed corn
3 Tbsp. margarine, melted
3 Tbsp. self-rising flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten

Mix ingredients in ungreased casserole. Cover and microwave on high for 12 minutes or until center is firm. Lid can be removed halfway through cooking time if pudding is too soupy.


Baked Corn Pudding - Serves 10

1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. pepper
3 eggs 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup milk 1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions - In a bowl combine the sugar and flour. Whisk in the eggs, milk, butter, salt and pepper. Stir in the corn and cream-style corn. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. (Adapted from Baked Corn Pudding as posted by Peggy West on allrecipes.com)

Tomato Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

I am a third generation Florida "cracker". You won't find too many of those there today. Most people who live in South Florida now came by way of New York, New Jersey, or somewhere that has at least 5 months of really cold weather. I permanently moved to Georgia on Super Bowl Sunday in 1987. We packed up and left balmy January temperatures in Florida only to arrive to snow on the ground in Georgia!

My hometown used to be a rural area with lots of farms. I grew up eating all kinds of fresh vegetables - squash, tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, corn! What could be better than a supper of fresh vegetables right out of the garden? My Daddy always had a small garden in our back yard.

My Mom is from Kentucky, and during the summer we would go visit her parents. My Granddaddy truly had a green thumb. He had a garden full of onions, beans, peas, yellow squash, zucchini, corn and tomatoes and lots of beautiful flowers. Grandmother would let my sister and I set up a table in the front yard, make a sign advertising "vegetables for sale", and earn some spending money! Sitting around the supper table listening to my Granddaddy tell us stories was my favorite time of day. And eating squash, tomatoes, green beans, and corn while we listened wasn't bad either.

When I came across this recipe from Dinner with Julie, it reminded me of summers in Kentucky. I added vidalia onions instead of chives.

Tomato-Corn Pie with Biscuit Crust

Crust: 2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup milk

Filling: 1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
6-8 Roma tomatoes
2 cups corn, cut from the cob (about 3 ears)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped chives or 1/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Blend flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor or bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer). Add the butter and blend with a fork or pasty cutter (or pulse in the food processor, or mix with mixer) until blended with pieces no bigger than a pea. If you're using a food processor, transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add the milk and stir until you have a soft dough.

Divide the dough in half, with one half just slightly larger than the other) and roll the larger piece on a floured countertop (or between two pieces of waxed or parchment paper) into a 12" round; transfer to a pie plate and gently fit it inside without stretching. Trim off any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Whisk together the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Peel tomatoes, then cut in half. With a small spoon or fork, gently remove the seeds and extra juices. Then slice crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2" thick slices. Arrange half of tomatoes in the crust, followed with half the corn, half the basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper to taste, and one cup of the grated cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives or onions, salt and pepper. Gently spread mayonnaise over the filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12" round and fit it over the filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching or crimping the edge of crust to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust, and brush crust with a bit of olive oil or melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pie is golden and bubbly. Serve warm, or cool to room temperature. (Do ahead - Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350 degrees F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.)

Pink Apron Girl

Salmon Cakes & Patties

It can be challenging to work all day and then come up with a quick, nutritious and yummy supper night after night! After cooking for my family for 25+ years I sometimes feel like I'm cooking the same thing over and over. So I've been trying some new recipes lately, but also going back to some I've cooked many times.

Here are two recipes for salmon cakes or patties. The first recipe is the way my Mom always made them - easy and quick. The second recipe is a bit more involved, but well worth the effort.

Salmon Patties -

1 lb. can salmon
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup canola oil

Open can and drain liquid from salmon. Remove bones and skin from salmon. Flake salmon in small mixing bowl. Beat eggs and stir in milk and salt and pepper. Add to salmon. Mix in seasonings and crumbs. Form into small patties. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Place patties in skillet and brown; turn once and brown on the other side. Place on paper towels to drain the oil. Serves 5-6.

I tried the following recipe tonight. Same result - delicious salmon cakes with a few more flavors added in.

Salmon Cakes (Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian)

Ingredients

• 2 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled, bacon fat reserved
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild salmon, checked for large bones
• 1 baked or boiled russet potato, peeled, and fluffed with a fork
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Cool the onions for a bit.

Mix the bacon, onion, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Add the salmon and potato, mixing gently after each addition. Form the mixture into 12 small patties. In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and pepper, to taste. Coat the patties in the bread crumb topping. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, and cook the salmon cakes in batches until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add more oil, as necessary. Arrange on a serving platter and serve.

So depending on how much time you have . . . and how many of the ingredients you have on hand, try one of these recipes and see if you don't agree with me!

Have fun in the kitchen!!

Pink Apron Girl

Today I reached a milestone in my life. I turned 50! That's a hard thing to say (type)! I haven't quite figured out how to feel about this yet, but one thing I have figured out is 50 isn't as old as I thought it was when I was 25.

Twenty five years ago I had been married for all of 3 years and we were expecting our first child. At that time I wasn't quite sure how a new addition would affect our lives and now I know. It fills your life with laughter and love, joy and pride, fears and doubts, and blessings too many to count. And now that baby who I hadn't seen yet on my 25th birthday is about to be married. Where did those 25 years go? She has grown into a beautiful, talented, smart, witty, caring young woman who cares about her family, friends, and students. She is one of the strongest women I know and I am amazed at her strength.

Twenty years ago when I turned 30, our second daughter had been part of our lives for a little over two months. I now had a four year old who was a "little mom" and helped take care of this little sister - talking and singing to her, keeping her entertained for hours at a time, and forging a very special bond. I was blessed to be able to stay at home with these two precious girls. I now have a very independent "middle" child who has been this way for as long as I can remember. I remember her first day of kindergarten worrying about the short walk to the bus stop. She assured me that I didn't need to walk down the hill with her to catch the bus, she could "go by herself" with her big sister. At the time I was crushed that she didn't need me. But now I am in awe of this independence. She is full of life, and destined to become a wonderful nurse. She has also grown into a beautiful young lady, full of determination and loyal to her beliefs. I am so proud of her.

When I was 32, our family grew again. Little did we know at the time how upside down our world would be turned by this baby boy! Our days of baby dolls, pink bows and ruffled dresses turned into hours filled with blue jeans, mud, tree forts, hunting, anything with big tires, boots and the outdoors! Now that sweet baby boy with wavy brown hair and dark brown eyes has grown into a handsome young high school graduate. All those hours of taking toys apart and "building" things with leftover parts has taught him that he is very mechanically minded and he will start college soon to pursue a career that will put these talents to use. He is very much like his Dad - a huge heart hidden inside a rough exterior. As I am writing this I was just blessed with a precious hug from him and a wish for a happy birthday, and a priceless "I love you, Mom".

So on this day that I haven't decided how to view yet, I do know that I have been blessed these past 50 years. Blessed with loving parents and a very special sister, a great husband, health and happiness, and 3 awesome children. My hope and prayer is that I have been the best daughter, sister, wife and mother I could be for each of them. And I hope they all know how precious they are to me. I'm thankful that they've been with me on this wonderful journey that is life and pray that they will all be with me for many more birthdays to come.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Welcome to Pink Apron Girl's Blog.  I hope to share recipes here that will make you love to cook for your family.  It seems today our lives are so filled with work, school, and various other responsibilities  that it isn't always easy to have a home cooked meal every evening.  I work full time and am in the final countdown to our oldest daughter's wedding (48 days and counting!) so I totally understand the feeling of being so tired when you arrive home at the end of the day that the last thing you want to think of is getting in the kitchen and dirtying up pots and pans that will have to be cleaned and put away after supper is done.  But I also know that my family appreciates a meal that is made especially for them . . . and that is important to me.

This blog will post a variety of recipes that I have cooked at one time or another.  Some may have been handed down from my Mom, Grandmothers or Aunts . . . and others  I may have found in one of my cookbooks, on the web, or seen on a tv cooking show.  (Some of my favorite tv cooks are Paula Deen, Gina and Pat Neely, and Giada De Laurentiis.)

I hope you'll find some recipes that will become your family's favorites and learn that you too love to cook.  So grab an apron and check back with Pink Apron Girl soon.  

Welcome!

Welcome to Pink Apron Girl's blog.