Corn and Summer Vegetable Soup and the First Snow

I know most of you are still very warm.  We, on the other hand, are having a major snowfall.  Awesome!
As a matter of fact, while I was in Montana last week, it would get in the high 80s and even hit 90°, but Fairbanks was getting 6 inches of snow!

These two pictures are from my window last spring...

You can see the mountains in the back.

This is the view out my window today.

It is just awesome!

So, I understand you may not be eating a lot of soup right now but we have soup every Monday with a sandwich and watch football on t.v.  (Thank you Green Bay for that awesome win against Kansas City, I just won a bet with my brother!)

This soup is quick and a good use for your summer veggies.  Maybe you will have some cool evening with a little rain.  I doubt you'll get the amount of snow we are getting right now.

Corn and Summer Vegetable Soup

4 cups of corn, fresh or frozen work best
4 cups chicken stock
1 large onion, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces of bacon

*You can add other veggies to beef it up, or add cooked shredded chicken and top with bacon and cheese.

Measure two cups of corn and two cups of chicken stock, place in a blender and process until very smooth, set aside. Using your soup pot, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and place on paper towel to drain.  Chop into small pieces.
 Remove all but about 2 tbsp. of bacon fat from pan, add onion and zucchini and sauté until soft.  Add corn puree, tomatoes, chicken stock, and salt and pepper to taste.  Heat but do not bring to a boil.
Serves 6

1 year ago:    Pizza Stromboli for the Blond Boy's Visit
2 years ago:   Rhubarb Meringue Bars and the Guard Goose
3 years ago:   Pecan Crispies and Saying Goodbye to the Back Yard Neighbors

September 30, 2015  Sunrise 7:57 am  Sunset 7:53 pm  Temp. H 34/ L 25°F

Colonial Bread

It is cold.  We had had a couple of frosts and we are due for our first snow any day now.  The trees are all turning yellow, my garden is put away for the winter, and I am cold.

Dave builds a fire in the evening for me, I come home to a toasty fire and we sit by the fire after dinner and play words with friends with each other from our own cozy chairs!  I often remind him we do have a scrabble board, but he never wants to get it out he would rather play on his phone.  That is one of the silly things we do to make it through the winter.

I like to bake bread in the fall and winter.  It warms up the house with the oven, the house smells delicious, and warm bread is always a nice addition to our meals.  Homemade bread for toast in the morning just can't be beat. So, here is my favorite bread.  I love the combination of corn meal and molasses in a yeast bread. It is great with soup or stew for dinner and it is even better toasted with your eggs in the morning.

I do believe the real name is Anamadama bread.  I don't know where that name came from, but I guess you could google it if you are really interested.  I don't care what it is called as long as it is warm and on my dinner table.

Colonial Bread
adapted from the Dak Bread Book

1/3 cup corn meal
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup molasses
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
3 1/2 cups flour, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp. or 1 pkg. dry yeast

Mix boiling water and corn meal together in a small bowl, stirring to remove any lumps.  Add molasses, salt and butter.  Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Add 3 cups flour and yeast into a large bowl, I use my Kitchenaid for this.  Pour cooled corn meal mixture into flour and mix, or kneed with a dough hook.  Let mix about 5 minutes.  Remove dough from bowl and kneed, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic.  Place in oiled bowl and let rise until double in size, 45-60 minutes in a warm spot in your kitchen.
Once risen, punch down, and shape into two equal loafs, place in prepared loaf pans and let rise again, about 35-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°.  Bake bread at for 30-45 minutes until fully browned.

With the holidays coming up; this is a great bread for using as an appetizer base.  Cut bread in small shapes, toast and serve with all kinds of toppings, cheese and artichokes, sliced tenderloin and horseradish, refried beans and salsa....

1 year ago:   Pork Loin and "A Good Try"
2 years ago: Carrot - Walnut Cake

September 10, 2014  Sunrise 6:59 am Sunset 8:35 pm  Temp. H 63/L 44°F

Grilled Corn Salad and the Eating of the Flowers

It is planting season in Fairbanks.  I am busy getting all my plants outside, hardened off, and planted.  I love this time of year.

I have 4 pots I plant for the backyard deck.  I put some lovely flowers in the pots, and left them lined up for my husband to move to their corners for me.  Big mistake.  It was the perfect line for one of the dogs to eat the flowers, just grazing walking down the line.

Tucker checking out the flower boxes to see if there is anything to eat!

I thought it was Lily who ate all the flowers, but when my husband discovered this

he did the back teeth check (I never would have done that.  I would just yell at all of them).  Lobo, the oldest, best behaved (and Dave's favorite) had yellow petals stuck to the back of his teeth, Lily did not.  So who is the good dog now? (Lily!)

Well, warmer temps also mean more grilling (yea!  Go Dave) and meals outside.  I love it.  This salad is terrific for a quiet dinner on the deck or is so easy to double (or triple) for a potluck barbecue!  Dinner on the deck happens quite often now, we have to keep an eye on those flower eating dogs.

Roasted Corn Salad

4-5 ears of corn
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Grill corn until cooked and slightly charred.  Remove from grill and cool until easy to handle.

While corn is cooling, rinse and drain beans, add to small saucepan.  Warm beans with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, do not bring to a boil.  Cut corn from cobs, chop cilantro, cut tomatoes in half, dice avocado and add to a large bowl.  Pour bean mixture over corn and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

1 year ago:   Um, I'm out of posts for May...and last year's June doesn't look too promising!
2 years ago:  Individual Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

May 30, 2014   Daylight  rises: 3:38 am  sets: 12:03 am (tomorrow)  Temp H 73/ L 52°F

Cheese and Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob

I love corn on the cob.  When I was a kid we had a corn field next to our farm and my mom would have the water boiling before she would send us out to pick some corn for dinner.  It was so sweet and tender it really didn't need butter (but we slathered it on anyway)!  Unfortunately, the fresh corn we get in Fairbanks isn't that fresh, and it is a difficult thing to grow in our cool, short summers.  So, we put up with what we can get and we need to dress it up a little.

This is one of our favorite summer treats.  Corn on the cob smeared with a cheese spread and wrapped in bacon.  Then wrapped in foil and grilled.  It is a must for us during the summer and always makes an appearance at our Fourth of July dinner.

If I was living next to a corn field now, and had access to that sweet, tender corn from my childhood, I might not smear it with cheese and wrap it in bacon....who am I kidding?  Of course I would.

Notice the mayo with no artificial flavors?
That offsets the package of chemicals I used for cheese...really, it works.

Lay our your 4 pieces of tin foil and brush the cheese on the corn
while it is on the foil.  It saves a huge mess.

Grill over indirect heat, turning often.

Cheese and Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob

4 ears of corn
1 pkg. (1.5 oz) four cheese sauce mix (like Knorr or in a pinch use the cheese pkg. from a mac and cheese box like I did here.  Or for those into real food, used finely grated parmesan.)
3 Tbsp. mayo
4 slices thick cut bacon

Preheat grill for medium high heat.

Pre-cook bacon for 3 minutes in microwave between layers of paper towel.  The goal is to reduce the time needed on the grill, remove some of the fat, but not cook it enough to get stiff.

Mix cheese sauce mix and mayo in a small bowl.  Brush on the corn.  Wrap corn with bacon and wrap in foil.

Cook on grill, turning the corn often, until bacon is cooked through.

1 year ago:  Compound Butter and the Joy of an Airline Upgrade
2 years ago: Spinach and Warm Bacon and Mushroom Dressing

May 12, 2014   Daylight 18 hrs. 21 min. 24 secs.  Temp. H 72/ L 45°F

Pork Chili

We have been having the most fantastic fall I can ever remember. It is relatively warm and mostly sunny during of the day. We might even make it to Halloween without snow!  I have never experienced a Halloween in Alaska without snow, but this could be the first.

Dave has been finishing up his fall outdoor chores (think wood here) and had 4 cords delivered this week.  He cut, split and stacked the wood with the help of his brother.  While they are outside working, I am inside making dinner.

 I had planned on fish for dinner, but knew that wouldn't be filling enough for hungry, wood-stacking men.  So I improvised.  The result was pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.  I am ALWAYS a cook by the recipe kind of person, with the exception of a few family favorites.  So, to be faced with dinner and not a plan is way out of my comfort zone.  I ALWAYS plan, and if I don't have a plan, the plan is to go out to dinner (my back-up plan).  But here I stood, with pork and some inspiration (o.k. not a lot of inspiration, but it worked).

Dave and my BIL both deemed it very good (even after Dave filled his with pepper-jack cheese and corn chips).  I ate mine with a dollop of sour cream and later I thought avocado would have been good on it.  It was warm, filling and I'll make it again during the winter.

Pork Chili

2 Tbsp. oil
2 lbs. pork tenderloin, silver skin and fat removed and cut into 1" chunks
1 onion, medium dice
1 Tbsp. chili powder, more or less to taste
1 quart jar of homemade canned roasted tomatoes with garlic, you can use 28 oz. can tomatoes with garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pan.  Brown meat on all sides (I do this in two batches so the meat browns instead of boiling in it's own juices).  Add onions, cook 5 minutes or until softened.  Add chili powder and cook 1 minute more, chili powder should be very fragrant.  Add tomatoes and chicken stock.  Cover and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Add beans and corn, heat through.  Serve with sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, or corn bread.

October 25, 2013   Daylight 8 hrs. 34 min. 56 sec.     Temp. H 36/ L 23°F

Caramel Corn for Halloween

When I was little, my Grandma Stejer made caramel corn for us.  It was one of my favorite treats.  I always looked forward the the October visit she would make to us because I knew the snacks would improve greatly (sorry mom).

When I went to college, one of my jobs was working in a record store in a mall.  One of the vendors just a few doors down was a caramel corn seller.  I was a frequent patron, if not once each day I worked, sometimes twice (those shifts were long)!  Needless to say most of my "freshman 15" didn't come from the cafeteria food.

I try not to each as much caramel corn these days.  But something about October and the ever-approaching holiday fest starting with Halloween, makes me crave that sticky, crunchy, sweet, nutty treat.  I use an air-popper to pop my corn, by saving a few calories here, I believe I can justify eating more caramel corn later. I'm making extra for October's Girl's night out dinner and I'll take treat bags to work this year, along with giving some to the boys across the street.  The season of eating has begun.

Caramel Corn
adapted from Picture Perfect Meals cookbook, Christmas Cookies and Confections 

unsalted butter for the pan
12 cups popped popcorn
2 cups mixed salted nuts
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 250º F.  Generously butter a heavy rimmed baking sheet and set aside.  Place the popped corn  in a large bowl.  In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine he sugar, corn syrup, butter and molasses. Whisk over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and butter melts. Bring to a boil over  medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt.  Pour the sugar mixture over the popcorn, pour the mixed nuts over the sugar syrup and stir to evenly distribute the sugar mixture and nuts.  Spread the mixture onto the prepared pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours stirring every 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and break up any large clumps.  Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.


Tips:
I use my roasting pan for this.  I put the popped popcorn in the buttered pan, add the sugar syrup and nuts, stir in the pan and pop it in the oven.

I added Reeses Pieces after the corn was cool.  It added a nice Halloween touch with the colors.

October 29, 2012     Daylight  8 hours, 6 minutes, 18 seconds     Temp  17º F & snowing!

Shrimp Cakes with Tomatoes on Solstice

Solstice, or the longest day of the year, is cause for celebration in Fairbanks.  Everyone celebrates the fact that we all lived through another long winter and we have extra daylight and warm weather.  The town celebrates in force and all week.  There is a street fair all night downtown, the Gold Panners, Fairbanks minor league baseball team, plays a game at night without the need for lights, the Midnight Sun Run will happen this weekend and everyone gets out and celebrates.
We will go to the street fair and eat our way through the vendors.  The antique cars will be on display and music will be playing.  You see old friends, visit and move on to the next treat to eat.  Since there is so many treats I want to start our evening off with something light and healthy.  These corn cakes on spinach salad is the perfect thing.
The cakes are sweet with corn and shrimp.  The tomatoes on top add a nice acidity to counter balance the sweetness and the greens brighten it all up.  I like to eat this with a little lemon juice squeezed over the top, Dave eats it with blue cheese dressing (he eats all salads with blue cheese dressing).  It will be a healthy start to our longest day of the year night.

Shrimp and Corn Cakes with Tomatoes
adapted from Cooking Light, June 2012

• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2 ounces masa harina (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels, divided (about 4 large ears)
• 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 12 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 8 ingredients; set aside.
2. 2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into measuring cups. ­Combine flours, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
3. 3. Place 1 1/2 cups corn and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. Combine pureed corn mixture, remaining 1 1/2 cups corn, bell pepper, shrimp, green onions, and garlic in a large bowl. Add flour mixture, stirring gently until moist.
4. 4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 4 (1/4-cup) batter mounds to pan, pressing each with the back of a spatula to slightly flatten; cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden and thoroughly cooked. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure twice with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and batter. Serve with salsa

June 20, 2012     Daylight  21 hours,  50 minutes     Current Temp. 61 ºF

Bar-B-Que Chicken Salad with Bacon and Cornbread Crutons

I flew to San Antonio last week for a conference.  It was so nice to be in the "real world" as we call it at my house.  It was 90 degrees above and we had a real lightning and thunder storm (something we don't get in Fairbanks).  I had some great Tex-Mex and some fabulous barbeque.  I was in heaven.
Then the end of the conference came, I flew home (14 hours and three time zones) and my husband looked to me for dinner.  Luckily, I am a planner and I had dinner at the ready.  A fresh bag of lettuce (yes, sometimes you have to buy the bag), some shredded chicken and cornbread from the freezer, and some bottled barbeque sauce and you have Bar-B-Que Chicken salad with Bacon Cornbread Croutons.
It is the salad time of year, and I still had a hankering for that smoky barbeque flavor.  I love it when I think ahead and have something ready to throw together from the freezer.

Chicken and cornbread from the freezer

Bar-B-Que Chicken Salad with Bacon and Cornbread Croutons
makes 2 salads

 2 strips bacon
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup cornbread cut in cubes
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn (thawed and/or rinsed)
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 avocado diced
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2-1 cup favorite barbeque sauce
blue cheese dressing

Preheat broiler.
Dice bacon and fry in skillet.  Drain all but about 1 Tbsp. of fat. Add butter to the same pan and melt.  Add cornbread and stir to coat all sides.  Place cornbread on broiler safe pan and toast under broiler about 2-3 minutes, turn and toast all sides, being careful not to let it burn.  Set aside and cool slightly
Divide lettuce between two plates.  Top each with half of the corn, beans, and avacado.  Heat chicken in saucepan with desired amount of barbeque sauce.  Divide between plates, top with bacon bits and cornbread croutons.  Serve with blue cheese dressing.

May 15, 2012     Daylight  18 hours,  45 minutes,  50 seconds     Current Temp 52 ºF

Corn Bread and Plugging Your Car In

We have had a little break in the 40 below weather for the last couple of days.  You might wonder how we get around when it is so cold.  Why don't our cars freeze?  Well, we have a winterization procedure for automobiles.  Each vehicle is equipped with battery blankets or plates, frost plug(s), heat plates under the oil pan and or transmission, etc.  All of these heating accessories are generally attached to a three/four-way with the other end extending from the vehicle.  Drivers are then able to plug into an extension cord to an outdoor outlet to keep the engine, transmission and battery warm.  We also test our anti-freeze to 60 below (F).  Businesses provide plug in posts for their employees so their cars don't freeze during the day.  Many are set up on timers to run in hour or two cycles.  At home, my husbands truck is set on a timer to go on at 4:30am before he starts it at 7:30am.

Plug ins in the parking lot at my work.  I get to work about 8:00 am, notice how dark it is?

Notice the row of concrete pillars for the plug ins.  Most businesses have a type of these for employees.

Four cars plug into one pillar.  Don't forget to unplug before you drive away!

So today we had soup at work again.  My suite mates brought soup and I brought sourdough garlic bread and cornbread.  It was a wonderful lunch on such a warm day. A reprieve from the cold and catching up with coworkers.
It is supposed to be 40 below again by the end of the week.  Stay warm.


Corn Bread
makes 36 servings

2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 Tbsp. for top (optional)
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes with peppers - drained

Preheat oven to 400º F.  Grease a 13x18 or a 9x13 inch pan.

Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl, mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined.  Pour into prepared pan.  Sprinkle sugar lightly on top if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top is golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Tips:
I use a half sheet pan (13X18) and cut into 2x3 inch pieces.  If you use a 9x13 you would want to cut smaller pieces, like 2x2 because they are so thick.

I like a sweet cornbread so the sugar on the top is essential for me.  I just sprinkle the top until it has a light coat.  This is totally optional.

This is easy to half the recipe and use half a can of corn and Rotel, or the whole can and you get a little spicier flavor.

January 11, 2012       Daylight 4 hours, 41 minutes, 53 seconds     Current Temp. 8ºF