Common Cuisine |

I’m a big fan of my tried-and-true “Jimmy Crack” Corn Cake. So are a lot of people I cook for. So why publish another corn cake recipe? It’s the same basic recipe at its core, but I was intrigued by the addition of cheeses and green chiles. The poblano also adds a layer of smoky interest. I now use this for “extra special” corn cake, for a little variety.

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 bag (12 oz.) frozen corn
• 1 can (15 ounces) cream corn
• 3 cans (4 oz each) diced green chiles
• 1 cup shredded shar Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
• 1 pkg (9 oz) corn muffin mix (I use Jiffy)

Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, poblano and salt and sweat until onion is soft and translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, sour cream, egg, corn, green chiles and 1/2 cup of each cheese. Add corn muffin mix and stir until moistened.

Pour mixture into greased 2.5 quart baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining cheese, then return to oven for another 15 minutes, or until top is well browned.

Serves a crowd.

Here’s a fancy trick I learned recently, for dressing up a salad. Can’t wait to surprise everyone at Thanksgiving (everyone who doesn’t read about it here first, anyway!). These bowls can be made early in the day, and filled at mealtime.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese into skillet, creating a uniform round shape. Use less cheese around the edges so the sides of the bowl will be more delicate.

Cook until cheese is light golden underneath. Remove from skillet with spatula, and drape, golden side up, over an inverted glass or jar. Gently shape cheese to form a bowl. Allow to cool.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need to grab breakfast on the run. And the easy solution too often ends up being a pop-tart or coffee-shop pastry, which only serves to set me up for blood sugar crash an hour later. These muffins are a great alternative, and include a little spice to wake you up as well as a dose of protein to feed your brain.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 c buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp melted buttermilk
• 1 bunch thinly sliced green onions
• 1 cup diced ham or smoked sausage (6 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup finely diced red pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Coat 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray, or line with muffin cups and spray those.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt and cayenne.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil and butter. Stir in green onions.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened. Scoop batter into the prepared pan, filling muffin cups very full.

Bake until tops of muffins are browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes, then loosen edges with a knife and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm.

To store, wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. To reheat, remove plastic wrap, cover the muffin with a paper towel and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

Makes 12 muffins.

Brie is a soft cheese with a mild buttery flavor. A brie appetizer will give your gathering a touch of class.

A full wheel of brie is about the size of your hand, and comes encased in a white rind. This rind is perfectly edible, although no one will shame you if you discreetly slide yours off into the trash.

1 wheel brie
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely diced*
2-3 Tbsp sliced almonds
Hearty crackers

At any point during the day of your party, melt butter and olive oil together in a skillet. Add chopped garlic, and saute for about 2 minutes, so that garlic is aromatic and slightly softened, but not burned crispy brown. Store covered in a bowl on the countertop until ready to proceed with baking.

Preheat oven to 350. Place brie wheel in a pie plate, and pour garlic mixture over the wheel. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 20 minutes, checking frequently to make sure the rind has not ruptured and allowed the melting cheese to run all over the plate. If this does happen, the only damage is cosmetic. And those who enjoy brie will not care.

Pull out the plate, spread the perimeter of the plate with crackers, and set the plate on a trivet or hot pad in the appetizer serving area. Add a 2″ dip knife and serve hot.

*To easily peel a clove of garlic, lay the flat blade of a chef’s knife across the clove. With the heel of your hand, give the blade a quick blow. This will crush the garlic, leading to three results: the papery cover will be much easier to remove; the clove will be flatter and easier to chop; and the bruising action will release the oils in the garlic for greater smell and taste enjoyment.

When I first tried this, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It could easily serve as a main dish, but also makes a great choice for a potluck.

2 Tbsp butter
3 cups elbow macaroni
2 12 oz cans evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 lb (4 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 lb (2 cups) shredded jack cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot, cook macaroni to al dente (barely done). Drain, and return to pot; toss with butter.

In a medium bowl, stir together milks and eggs. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. In another medium bowl, combine cheeses.

Layer 1/3 of the noodles in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, cover with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat two more times with remaining noodles and cheese. Pour milk mixture over all. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake 35-45 minutes until top is lightly browned. Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving. Serves

• 1 egg, gently beaten
• ½ C sour cream
• ¼ C milk
• 2 T grated parmesan cheesecake2 tsp minced onion
• ½ tsp salt
• pepper to taste
• 8 oz monterey jack cheese, grated
• 10-oz pkg frozen spinach, cooked and well drained
• 4 oz thin spaghetti, cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine egg, sour cream, milk, parmesan, onion, salt and pepper. Add cheese and mix well; add spinach. Stir in cooked pasta.

Spread in ungreased 9″ x 9″ pan. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Serves 4-6.

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 can condensed cheese soup (cheddar, fiesta nacho, southwestern jack, etc)
• ½ cup milk
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• 1 (14 oz) can cut-up tomatoes, or 1 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Mix together soup and milk, then stir in cheese and tomatoes.

Stir macaroni into cheese mixture and pour into greased 9″ x 13″ glass baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes until lightly browned.

Serves 4 to 6.