Finally: Christmas Recap

In pictures!

I did some decorating

Looked cute

Gave homemade vanilla extract as gifts

Catered a couple of parties

Had a great time with my family



Browned Butter Cornbread

I told ya'll browned butter stay winning over here! LOL

This is my most favorite cornbread recipe...now. I used to make it the way L Beezy does until I came across this one. While momma's is still the best...this is one I will pass down to my girls.

The batter will make a bit more than will fit in the pan so it is likely you will have some leftover. Also be careful not to over fill the skillet as the bread has a nice rise to it.

I won't even tell ya'll how B and I were eating this with agave nectar like it was dessert...I won't tell that. I also won't tell ya'll we had two hunks slices of it either! A piece.


Browned Butter Cornbread
Adapted from http://www.kneadysweetie.com/2011/10/browned-butter-and-sour-cream-cornbread.html?showComment=1327618366464#c8759078024875327168

What You Need:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

What To Do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often until lightly browned and nutty, about 4-5 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl, and set aside to cool.
• Place the olive oil in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet; place in oven to heat.
• In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
• Add eggs, sour cream and buttermilk to cooled butter, whisking well.
• Pour into dry ingredients, and stir just to combine.
• Pour batter into hot skillet. The batter should sizzle in the pan!
• Bake until golden and a toothpickinserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes.

  

The Friday Five – Busy Weekend Edition

Five things I will be doing this weekend:

Working late Friday night to avoid coming in Saturday

Going to the country for a gir.l scou.t outing with B and her troop

Having some home improvement stuff done…mostly electrical, changing out light fixtures, updating the electrical box, etc)

Prepping posts for the next two weeks including some White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Peanut Butter cookies (yeah right 3 words!)

Begin taking pictures for the picture a day challenge…I mean I have a cool new camera so why not! I can’t wait to see what other participants post






What about you? What is on your agenda this weekend?

Easy Banana Cake

These ratchet bananas made this really delicious cake. Brown bananas stay winning over here! You know what else stay winning over here? Brown butter! Brown butter is the winning-est! From pasta to frosting to ice cream...brown butter be on that thang!

For this super easy quick bread I used my own brown butter frosting recipe but the one listed is original to the recipe. Truth be told this cake is delicious without the frosting if you want to save on some calories!

Easy Banana Cake w/Brown Butter Frosting
Adapted from http://www.laurenslatest.com/banana-cake-with-walnuts-and-brown-butter-frosting/

What you need for the cake:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup plain applesauce {unsweetened}
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large bananas, mashed

What you need for the frosting:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans {optional}

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray an 8×8 square dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, except the sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
• In a different bowl, whip sugar, oil and applesauce together.
• Stir in eggs, vanilla and mashed banana.
• Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
• Pour into prepared dish and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool completely.

To make the frosting

• Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Just after the butter melts, start swirling the pan in small circles.
• After about 45 seconds or so, the butter should start foaming and will turn an amber color and smell nutty.
• Remove from heat immediately and pour into a different container. Cool to room temperature.
• Once butter has cooled, whip together with vanilla, powdered sugar and cream until smooth and creamy.
• Spread over cooled cake and top with chopped walnuts, if desired.
• Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

What To Do?

This stuff smells amazing! I love love love caramelized onions. In fact, I keep a container in the fridge to toss into omelets, soups, vegetables or even in a cold salad! So it was a no brainer when I saw this on the clearance shelf at my favorite grocery store.

Caramelized Onion Jam...what!? Yes please. I am making burgers this week specifically so I can slather this all over that meat!

What new/interesting food items have YOU discovered lately?

The Friday Five - Five Under Five

Check out some of the new new stuff I got this week on the low...like seriously this stuff was cheap!

Blood Oranges are in season! They are great in cocktails but these will be going in a tart...1.99/lb

I don't care for saltines but these folks in my house do; E likes to eat them with sardines and B will make little pizza crackers with them or eat them with peanut butter. Bi.g Lot.s 1.80 a box

E's juice struggle is real! He goes through more juice and water than any one person I have ever seen. So any time I find some on sale or at a really good price I am all over it. The bonus about these is they are 100% juice and there is no sugar...not even fake sugar in them...I cleaned Bi.g Lot.s out.  These were $2 for a four pack.

While shopping at Whole Paycheck, this guy was handing out salsa samples. Normally I don't do community food but this looked really good and he poured me a fresh cup of this awesomeness! The guy on the bottle was the guy handing out the samples (super nice.) I wish I had time to bend is ear, he is the owner, producer, and manufacturer of his salsa product. He is local, Austin, and he was really proud of all of his salsa varieties.  This one was really delicious! 3.49 for this jar.

These were the chips salsa guy was handing out with his salsas....they were so crisp and fresh and just delicious. They give my On the Bo.rder, my favorite brand, a good run for my money! 3.99 per bag

What awesome deals did you find this week!?

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I STAN for a great salad! A great salad with a simple vinaigrette is a winner all around.  This simple dressing seriously only takes about five minutes to prep.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/simple-balsamic-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html

What you need:

• 1/4 cup good balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

What to do:

• Whisk all of the ingredients together except for the olive oil until the sugar and salt dissolves.
• Slowly whisk in the olive oil; or place all the ingrediens in a screw top jar and shake to combine.
• Adjust seasonings to taste.