Savory Corn and Cheese Pudding

I would almost call this spoon bread due to the addition of a little corn meal to the batter. These are light and fluffy while delivering a really satisfying cheese flavor.  A nice side dish for poultry, these puddings are also perfect for a simple lunch or dinner with a salad or soup.

You may only think of corn pudding at the holidays but don’t wait until Thanksgiving to make these.  They come together so fast that they are ideal for a weeknight dinner.  They are a good substitute for potatoes.  If you don’t have either mozzarella or goat cheese in the house, you can use an equal amount of cream cheese.  And if you are already planning your Thanksgiving menu, this is a terrific vegetarian main dish accompanied by or spooned into 1/2 roasted acorn squash*. 

Savory Corn and Cheese Pudding
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups corn (fresh, frozen or 14-oz can low sodium corn)
1 egg
1/2 cup cream or whole milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
3 ounces mozzarella or goat cheese,  diced (or a mixture)
1/4 cup fine cornmeal mixed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash cayenne (more for spice loving families)
1/2 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.  Spray four 1/2 cup ramekins or one larger baking vessel with oil.  
2. Puddings will be baked in a water bath (bain marie) by placing the ramekins in a high-sided balking dish filled about 3/4 inch with hot water.  Begin bain maire by boiling 2 cups water over medium heat while you prepare puddings. 
3. Drain corn if using canned corn. Reserve 1/2 cup corn and the Parmesan cheese.  
4. Place remaining ingredients in a small food processor or blender.  Blend together to break down corn and incorporate the cheese. 
5. Add reserved 1/2 cup corn and blend briefly just to incorporate into batter.  
6. Spoon into prepared ramekins of baking dish.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.  
7. Place puddings in the baking pan.  Place pan in oven, then fill 3/4 inch high with water to surround baking vessels.  To prevent spilled water, it is often easier to pour the water in once the baking pan is in the oven with the rack pulled out a bit.  Then slowly slide the rack back into the oven and bake.  (You can also add water to the pan then transfer it to the oven with steady hands.)  
8. Bake puddings 20-30 minutes, until centers are set.  Serve immediately.

Corn and Cheese Puddings keep well covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days

*For roasted acorn squash, rub halved squash interiors with a bit of olive, salt and pepper and roast flesh side down for 20 minutes at 375˚F.  Turn over and continue roasting until fork tender, another 15-20 minutes.  To sweeten,  add a few drops of maple syrup or some brown sugar with a dab of butter into cavity after turning. 

Tip: If you are using canned corn, a 14 ounce can drained is just a little over 1 1/2 cups.  Use it all.

Bacon!

A little bacon goes a long way but it is a bit messy and time consuming, even for a few pieces.  Store-bought precooked bacon that can be reheated by the piece in the microwave or oven has solved the fuss but most cost twice as much as uncooked bacon per ounce.

For a large breakfast party, experienced cooks and chefs know to cook a large batch of bacon in the oven freeing up stove space for eggs and pancakes.  The same technique can be used by smaller households to precook bacon and reheat when needed.  Here’s how it works:

Precooked Bacon
Ingredients
1 package uncooked bacon

Method

1. Place uncooked bacon strips on a rimmed baking sheet.  
2. Place in a cold oven.  
3. Turn the oven to 450˚F and set timer for 15 minutes.  
4. Check on bacon about 10 minutes in and turn. After 15 minutes use tongs to place bacon strips on paper towels to drain. 

The bacon should not be too crisp since it will crisp up upon reheating.  Use another paper towel to blot grease from tops side of bacon.  Store cooked bacon between waxed paper sheets and in a resealable plastic bag.  Freeze up to 3 months or refrigerate for 3-4 days.

To use, remove strips and heat in microwave 30 seconds or in a warm oven until heated through.

If you normally cook bacon in a microwave you can use this same idea to cook a large batch so that reheated strips do not create a puddle of grease.

Notes: any bacon brand is fine but I have found that thinly cut bacon is harder to handle so I look for a medium or thicker cut. 

Favorite Uses for Precooked Bacon
Real bacon bits for salads and baked potatoes
Cobb Salad
BLTs with avocado
Chicken salad with bacon (hold the salt)
Breakfast open-face bacon and cheese melt sandwich
Spaghettie Carbonara (eggs, cheese and bacon)
Baked beans with bacon

Leftover Uncooked Bacon
Sometimes not all the bacon in the package will fit in your pan.  You can use two pans or since stew season is coming on, cut uncooked bacon into 1-2" pieces and freeze.   When a stew recipe calls for sautéing onions or carrots, add a bit of the uncooked bacon “lardons” to help develop a deeper flavor in your dish.  Great for baked beans from scratch too.

Carrot Coconut Bran Muffins

The muffin pan has been out recently to make Breakfast Egg Cups for the weekdays.  The weekend is calling out a different tune: bran muffins with carrot cake overtones.  I extracted from a few favorite bran muffin recipes to make this low fat version and then added my favorite extras- grated carrot, coconut, raisins and walnuts.  For you, these can be plain bran muffins or add blueberries or dried cranberries and almonds, or even some banana  chunks (1 small banana) and chopped peanuts.

Carrot Coconut Bran Muffins with Walnuts and Raisins
Makes 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
1 cup unprocessed (miller's) wheat bran
1 1/3 cup white whole wheat four (or half all purpose, half whole wheat flour)
2/3 cup whole wheat flour (spoon into a measuring cup and level top)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cups low-fat or skim milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Method

1. Preheat to 350°.  Lightly spray twelve regular size muffin cups with oil. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine bran, flours, baking soda, and salt.  
3. In a small bowl combine grated carrots, raisins, coconut and walnuts.
4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, sugar, applesauce, egg, oil and vanilla. 
5. Add the carrot mixture to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly with a spoon or your (very clean) hands.  Make a well in the center of this dry mixture, and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a spoon, stir just until combined. Spoon the batter equally among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed gently in the center, about 18-20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from the cups. Enjoy immediately or cool completely on the rack.  Cooled muffins can be stored in an airtight container 2 days or placed in plastic bags and frozen for up to 2 months.

These are moist so yo can enjoy them plain or, to bring our the carrot cake lurking inside, dab yours with a little softened cream cheese.

Pie Dough Samosas

Samosas are an appetizer from India.  Triangular dough pockets are filled with mild mixture of cooked potatoes and peas and are served with yogurt based sauces like cucumber raita or mint chutney for dipping.  When you order samosas at Indian restaurants they are fried.  At home, you can make these with pie dough and bake them, avoiding the fryer. The difference is subtle and your stomach will thank you because it’s hard not to eat a bunch of these. 

One complete recipe for pie dough (top and bottom) will yield 10-12 samosas.  You can use a prepared pie dough from the store if you are not a regular on the baking scene.  The triangles are formed from 5" rounds cut out from rolled out dough.  I use a small bowl—about 5 inches across as my template.  The potato and pea filling can be very mild or a spiced up curry version.  Cooked cauliflower can be mixed in or replace the potatoes.  Cooked sweet potatoes, butternut squash or pumpkin can also be used and are really fun around Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Here’s how:


Pie Dough Samosas
Makes 10-12 pieces. Serving size: 3 samosas
Pie dough-enough for 2 12-14 inch discs rolled out

Filling
1 tablespoon canola
1/2 white onion
4 medium boiling potatoes, peeled , boiled and diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1-3 teaspoons curry powder*
1/2 cup water
egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water.

Method

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  While oil heats, peel and chop onion.  
2. Saute onion in oil until it is tender and just beginning to color.  
3. Add cooked potatoes,  frozen peas, curry powder and water.  Stir to combine.  Lower heat and cover partially.  Cook down,  about 3 minutes until peas are heated through and potatoes have soaked up curry mixture.  
4. Remove cover and continue to cook on low until the sauce is thickened and coats vegetables.   Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before proceeding. (Filling may be prepared ahead and chilled overnight.)
5. Preheat oven to 425˚F.  
6. To make samosas, roll out pie dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Use a small bowl or 5”diameter round cookie cutter to cut out 4 rounds from each disc.  Knead leftover dough together and place in refrigerator to keep chilled.  
7. Place a scoop (2-3 tablespoons) of the cooled filling in the center of each round.  Paint the edges with egg wash and bring up the sides of each dough circle from 3 sides so they meet at a point at the top.  Press together the dough along the three seams.  It is fine to leave a small opening at the top to allow steam to escape when baking.  
8. Place samosas on a baking sheet as they are made.  Roll out the remaining dough to get 2-3 more round discs.  When samosas are assembled, you may leave them plain or paint them with leftover egg wash to help the dough brown.  
9. Bake at 425˚F for 18 minutes, until dough is cooked. 
10.  Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate overnight.  Reheat in a 400˚F oven for 15-20 minutes. 

Serve samosas with Indian condiments including mint or mango chutney, hot sauce and cooling yogurt raita.

To make Raita:
1 cup plain yogurt  (whole, low-fat, nonfat or Greek are all OK)
1/4 cup grated cucumber (peel cucumber if not waxed)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (start with a 1/4 if you are not used to Indian foods)
1/8 teaspoon salt, coriander and mint
Stir it all together and let sit about 30 minutes for herbs and spices to blend.

Raita is one of those things you can really customize to suit your tastes.  With samosas you are going for a cooling effect but if your tastes veer toward spicy, you can add grated onion, a bit or fresh garlic, cayenne, etc.

*Curry Powder
In my Massaman Curry  (Three Curries, March 1, 2010) I discuss curry blends and how to make your own.  For samosas you can use a blend sitting on your shelf or make it fresh. To make your own for this recipe combine: 1 teaspoon tumeric, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/8 teaspoon each cayenne, oregano, paprika, cinnamon.  To make this spicy, add a good pinch of cayenne.