Cornbread Supper

Daffodils rescued during a light snow fall yellowed up the Cornbread Supper room on March 28 -- on a chilly clear evening when a bit more snow was forecast. Indoors, we had plenty of cornbreads and no-knead bread, and other good tastes: Corn-Potato-Bacon Chowdah: contains veggies, pork, dairy; not peppery hot Chick pea pastries; not pretty! Egg, cilantro, bread, yogurt & dressing Jicama Blood Orange Olive Oil & Vinegar Couscous - Fruits (apple, strawberry, cranberry) + nuts (walnut, almond, cashew) White Bean Salsa Chili Mexican Cheese Dip (has a kick!) Banana Bread Missy's White Chocolate [pie] Key Lime pie! (slightly ruffled)

For the first Cornbread Supper of spring, 2011 -- and probably it was our second anniversary doing Cornbread Suppers, though we thought of this a bit late -- we opened with the official Cornbread Supper bubbly, J. Roget Extra Dry, and kept rolling right through some fabulous salads and savory dishes, all supported by a quartet of Cornbreads. We had Traditional Kentucky Black Skillet cornbread in the REAL traditional format (pork drippings) as well as vegetarian. We also had peppery cornbreads, laced with 2010 jalapeños from the Campsie garden (and freezer), in both porky and veggie variations. And... Chleb (Czech Peasant Bread) Veg Medley: Potatoes, Asparagus, Bellpep, Onion, Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme Vegetarian Curry (Tofu) Basmati Rice Kalamata Gorgonzola Spread (Garlic, olive oil, pecans) Roasted Beet Salad w/Cocoa Vinaigrette: Goat cheese, cocoa, cocoa nibs, oranges; some lettuces are from Berea College

Wonderful cook Eric Huffer brought this to Cornbread Supper, and when another Cornbreadian requested the recipe, he kindly shared. This recipe is from the cookbook  Power Foods 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice(from 1-2 lemons) coarse salt 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons sunflower oil 8 oz brussels sprouts, very thinly sliced 4-6 leaves Swiss chard or kale, or a combination, stemmed and thinly sliced (I couldn't find either the last time I made this and substituted beet greens and collard greens) 1/3 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds, toasted Stir together mustard, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon sat, and the salt: whisk in oil until emulsified. In a salad bowl, toss together brussels sprouts and greens.  Add sunflower seds and dressing: toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

Cornbreadian and super-cook Eric Huffer brings unfailingly delicious dishes to Cornbread Supper. This dip mesmerized quite a few people on the night of its debut, and Eric was kind enough to share the recipe. approx. 3 cups Sicilian Herb Green Olives, with their olive oil (we found ours at Liquor Barn) 10 oz. Goat Cheese 6-8 cloves of garlic 2/3 cup chopped pecans Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. It can be served immediately, but is best if it has been in the fridge for a few hours.

We promised -- and delivered -- daffodils for the tables for this Cornbread Supper, but to be present, the hungry crowd still had to brave  raw cold rain. So we lit some candles after all, in spite of the extra evening light we have gained thanks to yesterday's switch to Daylight Savings Time. A huge, beautiful salad from Berea College Farm , served with Balsamic Vinegar, caught the photographer's eye (and taste buds). The table boasted a splendid array of foods and wines, including these dishes: Veggie-rice Casserole w/Southwest flavoring Spicy Lentil Soup, Vegan Falafel (flour) * Yogurt Cuke Dill Dressing [good on the lentil soup, too] Meatloaf Gluten Free Cornbread Tahini, Garlic, Ginger Dressing, Salad: spin. Carrot, Red Cabbage, Onion, Sprouts, Rais Couscous w/Fruit & Nuts Chicken Salad Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans Soy Nuts "Edamame" Salted Blanched Asparagus w/Balsamic & Asiago Quiche Butternut Squash with Maple Syrup Rice Pilaf Onion

Regular Cornbreadian (and also designated Cornbread Supper Angel) Paige Prewitt brought Kale Chips to Supper twice in a row, causing the Cornbread Establishment to beg--beg abjectly, ladies and gentlemen--for the cooking instructions. Paige being Paige, we had a good idea there was no standard recipe involved, because Paige's wonderful food derives from her good cooking sense, applied to what she has on hand. So, a request for a Kale Chips Guide meant that Paige would have to write down what she does by instinct. And -- she did!! Here's the secret for these amazing vegetables-masquerading-as-snack-food. Thank you, Paige! Kale Chips 1 bunch of Kale - flat or curly 1 T olive oil (don't overdo the oil) 1 t kosher or sea salt (don't overdo the salt either) Cut the stem out of the middle of all the leaves. Tear the leaves into bite sized pieces. Toss with olive oil and a bit of salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. The curly kale varieties will take a l

A rare Cornbread Supper this week: No newcomers! Two tiers of experienced Cornbreadians enjoyed themselves. The first tier, the under 5-feet/under-12-years-old crew of adorable and adored young ones, ran happily around, under, and through the second tier of us older, taller people. Quite a few people took part in a video project about ice cream that's the responsibility of a relatively new Cornbreadian. We ate and drank (lots and lots of bottles of wine showed up, and were properly managed...) Veggie Curry Chili Kentucky Beer Cheese Creole Shrimp Rice Sundried Tomato Spread Fragrant Rice Potato Soup: Onions, milk, butter Oriental Soup with Chicken, Shrimp, Soy, Rice Noodles, and more Herbed Green Olive Goat Cheese Spread Blueberry Orange Bread & Lavender Butter Traditional Kentucky Black Skillet Cornbread: No gluten; vegetarian, contains dairy Berry Pie Baked Blackberry-Black Raspberry Cornmeal Dumplings: Contain gluten, dairy; vegetarian, no nuts; Wild Blackberr

Some new foods, some new favorites, and some familiar delights filled the table on this raw, cold February night. Kale Crisps flew out of their bowl, and Cornbreadians approved of the experiment in making a Savory Custard Cornbread. Stir Fry, vegetarian, with Seitan, Pasta, Onion, Sweet Potato, Ginger, Garlic, and Seasoning Kale Crisp: Olive Oil, Salt, Rice Vinegar Macaroni w/Spinach Sauce & Cheese Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad w/Sunflowers Cinnamon Raisin Brioche (from Good Foods) Savory Custard Cornbread (an experiment); Contains gluten, tomato, corn, sweet peppers, lots of KY ingredients; HOT on left; mild on the right Pound Cake w/strawberry-peach topping Frozen Fruit Dessert/Salad: Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Lemon, Lime, OJ, Strawberry Preserves, Walnuts Homemade Ginger Ice Cream, Not Pasteurized Milk (KY!) Sorghum Butter