Creamy Green Chile Corn Pudding

 

This great savory  

side dish is a cross between 

cornbread and a soufflé.

 

Green chiles give this creamy dish a Southwest twist that you can't go  wrong with. 

 

Cornmeal-battered Oven-fried Catfish and Ice Fishing with My FIL

 

Fishing around for a new catfish recipe?

 

 

Here’s one for you with savory flavors
that can be
put on the table quickly. 

 

Crispy Baked Catfish

    Bill isn't in to grilling in chilly or rainy weather, 

and that's what we're still having.  

Since last Wednesday, our rain gauge 

has totaled 7-inches.  

So to compensate, there’s extra oomph in this baked catfish recipe, thanks to the addition of tangy and sweet French dressing!

Spicy Cormeal-battered Baked Catfish w/Really Lousy Photos!

Fishing around for a seafood dinner for tonight?  Then consider this crispy baked catfish!

Ready for baking----photos do not get any better than this!

I might live in the Midwest now, but my roots run deep in Louisville, where catfish is abundant at all-you-can-eat fish fry’s at family restaurants about year round.  

Dinner was Oven-fried Catfish!

I gave catfish a lighter spin by baking the fish last night.

There’s no problem in finding catfish here in the Midwest.  Virtually every body of water in Illinois contains at least one species of the catfish family, with the most common members being channel catfish, flatheads, blue catfish and several species of bullheads.

Savory Sour Cream Cornbread, it's Divine!

Cornbread is the perfect vehicle 

for sopping up the things 

that are 

on your plate!

Those cracks are a good thing in cornbread!

Everyone has their foibles ~ for me, it’s that corner slab of cornbread ~ the slice with two crispy edges.  Grandma liked it crumbled, submerged in a glass of cold buttermilk, and eaten with a spoon ~ whatever floats your boat...

Bubba's Oven-fried Cod

This is good and crunchy fish, minus all the fat. 

Bubba just vacationed in London recently and almost had his fill of fish and chips ~ he loved the meal!   Traditionally, fish and chips are served wrapped in paper to soak up all the grease, probably not a good thing.  

Back at home now, to cut the grease and calories, Bubba coats the cod in a corn meal and Parmesan breading and bakes it.  In his cooking, he goes heavy on the spices and seasonings, adjust to your taste. 

Cornmeal-Crusted Lake Perch

Bill Jr., (Bubba here) just returned from vacationing in the United Kingdom and had more than one meal of fish and chips in England.  

In his words, the fish was the best, "Awesome! Crunchy, tender and tasty."  The Brits choice of fish is cod and haddock, with him liking haddock more.

I'd be the first to order fish and chips at a pub anywhere, but we all know that at home it can turn into a "grease-feast!"

 
That is, unless it's made in an air fryer! 

Tasty Sour Cream Skillet Cornbread

Take a guess...

what's more American than

apple pie.

It's cornbread, of course!

The English brought apple pie to our shores, but the Powhatan Indians taught the early immigrants how to parch, grind, and then mix the corn with boiling water to make "johnny cakes." 

Woo hoo! It's Moist and Easy Cornbread Time!

I’m passionate about cornbread ~ I've tested a lot of cornbread recipes, and I’ve learned one thing about it ~ many other people get worked up about it also!

There is quite the debate as to how it should be prepared...

It’s either about the type of cornmeal:  stone ground or not; yellow or white?   

OR...
How much flour?  

How many eggs should I add?  

Which is better:  milk, buttermilk, or sour cream?  

Should I make it with butter, lard, Crisco or bacon grease?

Contaminate it with sugar, or not, or how about honey?  

Bake it in a cast iron skillet or baking tin?

And, finally ~ a 375° or 425° oven? 

In other words, give it to me if you’re not!

Presidents even reacted to it:  George Washington started by savoring hoe cakes, a simple corn bread fried in shallow grease.   

During James Polk’s presidency, of a trip to New Orleans, he wrote that "all the dishes were prepared in the French style of cooking, and to one unaccustomed to it it was difficult to tell of what they were composed... I took a cup of coffee and something on my plate to save appearances, but was careful to eat none of it.  As soon as an opportunity offered, I asked a servant in a low tone if he could give me a piece of corn-bread and broiled ham."¹

James Polk

Abraham Lincoln  loved corn cakes, and it was said he ate them “as fast as two women could make them.”   

Way back in the 1920's, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge preferred to start their day with corn muffins.  Herbert Hoover loved fried cornmeal mush, and so do I, almost as much as cornbread! 

Warren Harding

Herbert Hoover

Calvin Coolidge

As a matter of fact, cornbread was served in some of the White House’s more formal settings.   Franklin D. Roosevelt served it at a 1939 state dinner for King George VI.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

King George VI

On to the 40's, when farm boy Harry Truman had simple tastes; he favored his cornbread with sorghum molasses bought on trips home to Missouri.  We've often heard, John F. Kennedy was a small eater and nearly always had to be reminded it was dinner time, with corn muffins being his favorite.  Peanut farmer Jimmy Carter liked dining on corn fritters at the Carter family's big weekend breakfasts.

Harry Truman

Jimmy Carter

 

Then there's Paula Deen!  

 Thanks to her for this cornbread recipe!

Paula Deen’s Moist and Easy Cornbread

Flour and cornmeal

ready for the oven

It's a truly Southern melt-in-your mouth cornbread ~ especially when it's piping hot out of the oven with butter melting on it!

Give it a try!

Author: PamPin it

Moist and Easy Cornbread

This is a true Southern cornbread ~ melt-in-your-mouth good ~ especially when it's straight from the oven, slathered with butter, thanks to Paula Deen's recipe!

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 25 MINStotal time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons melted, plus butter for baking dish unsalted butter
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large lightly beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425º. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk and butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture and fold together until there are no dry spots (the batter will still be lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake until the top is golden brown and tester inserted into the middle of the corn bread comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

¹As quoted in Mark Eaton Byrnes' James K. Polk:  A Biographical Companion



Enjoy!

Pecan-Crusted Catfish Cajun Style

I hear you questioning it:  

pecans, cornmeal and catfish?  

They go together like you wouldn’t believe!

This catfish has a delicious thick crust ~ you’ll swear it’s batter-fried catfish.  The fillets are sweet, meaty, flaky and spicy.  It’s a simple great way to eat catfish!

Swipe the fish through the spicy flavors of cayenne pepper, chili powder, oregano and garlic powder, stirred into buttermilk. 

Dredge the catfish into a combo of cornmeal and chopped pecans, for great texture and nutty taste. 

Baking this catfish is a no-mess alternative, delivering a crispy crust without deep-frying.

Give this a try ~ I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!


Pecan-Crusted Catfish Cajun Style
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup buttermilk
½ to 1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne 
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon, each salt and seasoned pepper
2 cups cornmeal
½ cup pecans, chopped
4 catfish fillets
Lemon slices

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a shallow dish, blend buttermilk and next 6 ingredients (through pepper.)
Combine cornmeal and pecans on a large plate.
Dip each fillet into buttermilk mixture.
Dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating both sides.
Transfer to a baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick spray.
Bake catfish for 25 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork.
Serve with lemon slices




ENJOY!

Pan-fried Spicy Tilapia w/Cucumber Salad

This weeknight dinner wasn’t fancy, nor fussy, just delicious with the pairing of pan-fried tilapia and cucumbers!

It had been a while since we last had tilapia so it was time to fry some up.  Lots of spicy seasonings were in order, with cornmeal for added crunchiness.  Adjust cayenne pepper to your heat preference.

I serve the cucumber salad with fish year round because it’s delicious and knows how to perk up a meal.

The salad is composed of crisp and cool cucumbers smothered in a sour cream sauce, with enough white wine vinegar for a little bite.  

Red bell peppers and green onions are incorporated for taste and eye appeal ~ and a smidgeon of sugar doesn’t hurt either ~ it keeps it on the delicate side.

This is a quick meal that isn’t short on flavor...

In other words, it’s pretty close to perfection and good enough for company!


Pan-fried Spicy Tilapia w/Cucumber Salad
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1½ pounds fresh tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon each, butter and vegetable oil
¼ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
½ teaspoon each, salt and seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method:

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over low heat.
Pat fish dry with a paper towel.
On a shallow plate, mix together cornmeal and seasonings.
While butter melts, dredge fish in cornmeal mixture.
Increase heat to medium high, heat for a minute until butter turns a golden brown.
Add fillets to pan and sauté about 3 minutes on each side until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Transfer to serving plate and serve with Cucumber Salad.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, sliced thin
¼ teaspoon each, salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
¼ light sour cream
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar, more or less

Method:

Combine all ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate at least an hour before serving with tilapia.
Serve

ENJOY!
 

Mom's Golden Fried Mush w/Sausage

It’s groovy how certain foods can trigger childhood memories…

Food brings forth strong emotions and seeing a favorite dish on a menu or hearing someone talk about a certain dish can transport us back to being young.  

That’s what fried cornmeal mush does for me…

When Mom or Grandma made it, it was a huge treat.  The aroma of it sizzling in the skillet was mouth watering.  

Hot from the skillet, placed on the plate with a dollop of butter and a swirl of maple syrup, it was heaven - delicious beyond words ~ and it still is to this day!
 

Mom usually served plain mush; meatless.  In later years, she started adding crumbled fried sausage to the batter, or maybe, crumbled fried bacon.  So many options…

If you’ve never experienced fried mush, I hope you give this a try!

Now, you tell me:  what is your favorite childhood food, what food brings back memories for you?  

Mom’s Golden Fried Cornmeal Mush
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

2¾ cups boiling water

1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cold water

1 pound pork sausage, fried and crumbled*

Vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray

Flour for dredging

Method:

Mix cornmeal and 1 cup cold water. 

Gradually add to boiling water and salt, stirring constantly.

Add cooked crumbled sausage.

Cook, about 15-20 minutes, covered, on low heat until thick, stirring frequently.

Grease or spray loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Refrigerate over-night.

Next morning, place small amount of oil in skillet.

Cut cornmeal loaf in slices.

Roll in flour and fry in oil until golden.  

Serve with butter and maple syrup or powdered sugar.

*Omit sausage, it’s delicious plain ~ or add fried crumbled bacon, that’s good also.

ENJOY!

Oven-fried Cornmeal Battered Catfish

No grilling in the rain here ~ oven-fried catfish is the way to go ~ it saves calories, plus there’s no need for a deep fryer, which leaves you with a messy kitchen.

Cornmeal is the secret to a crisp baked coating for this delicious catfish. 

It’s a moist baked catfish with great seasonings:  celery seed, paprika, thyme and garlic and onion powders.  

Crispy crust on the outside and tender catfish on the inside, this catfish is guaranteed to give you a scrumptious meal!

Oven-fried Cornmeal Battered Catfish

Ingredients:

½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 catfish fillets
Cooking spray

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat a large nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.

On a plate, combine cornmeal, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, celery seeds, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, covering both sides.
Place on baking sheet.
Lightly spray each fillet with cooking spray.
Bake until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes, depending upon thickness of fish.
Serve with tartar sauce and/or lemon slices. 

ENJOY!

Spicy Grilled Catfish

We don’t need a holiday to celebrate catfish; nevertheless, we gave a nod to National Catfish Day yesterday anyway, with Bill grilling the mild, sweet fish for dinner!  

President Ronald Regan declared June 25th National Catfish Day in 1987, to recognize and bring awareness to the catfish farming industry.  Some may turn their nose up at catfish, we disagree ~ it’s close to the top of our favorites list. 

Catfish is a versatile fish that holds up well, regardless of the cooking method.  I buy farm-raised catfish at the market, but a wild catfish would be even more flavorful; however, there’s no noodling here by us.

There are arguments over whether to dredge catfish in flour or cornmeal, or not at all, that’s a non-issue here.  It’s usually cornmeal all the way to provide that gritty crunch ~ almost like it’s fried!

Next, there’s the seasoning ~ plenty of spices, whether hot or not.

Then, my favorite way to cook catfish: over a hot grill.  That means a delicious grilled flavorful catfish, that’s healthy too, with no extra fat.

It’s a scrumptious fish, and I hope you grill it!

Spicy Grilled Catfish

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

Dash cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

4 catfish fillets

Method:

Combine all ingredients, except catfish on a plate.

One at a time, dredge catfish is cornmeal mixture.

Preheat grill to medium and cook for 5 minutes per side, depending upon thickness.

ENJOY!