The Old Mill Cornbread Muffins

I've made cornbread and cornbread muffins before, but have never been truly satisfied with the end result. After many years of testing I have finally found the perfect recipe. The secret behind a good cornbread is the cornmeal. The cornmeal used in this recipe comes from The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I picked up a bag of cornmeal (a bag of grits, a bear of honey, and a new cookbook) while J.T. and I visited the Old Mill. This cornmeal makes the muffins crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with small bits of hearty corn running through every bite. They are delicious and worth a few extra dollars for the cornmeal. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups Old Mill cornmeal
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar, honey, or molasses
  
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
  
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
  

 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin with olive oil.
   
2. In a medium bowl combine the cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar (if using honey or molasses mix in with the wet ingredients).  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a small bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and olive oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. The batter should still be very lumpy. Spoon into prepared muffin tins. Bake for 28 minutes (No peaking in the oven! If you do peak, increase the baking time to 30 minutes.) Yields 12 muffins.

Ina's Turkey Meatloaf

 

Recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

  

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
  
• ½ teaspoon thyme
  
• ¾ cup chicken broth
  
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
  
• 5 pounds ground turkey
  
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
  
• ¾ cup ketchup
  

 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
   
3. In a large bowl combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, eggs, and onion mixture. Spoon meatloaf mixture onto a sheet pan and shape into a loaf. Spread the top of the meatloaf with ketchup. Bake for 1 ½ hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Bake the meatloaf with a pan of hot water on the oven rack directly beneath it. This will prevent the top of the meatloaf from cracking. Serves 8 to 10. Per Ina, this recipe can easily be halved (use 2 eggs).

Baked Chocolate Pudding

 

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

  

Ingredients

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
  
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 2-quart baking dish. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
   
2. In a large mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is a thick pale yellow consistency.
   
3. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Slowly add the flour mixture and then stream in the butter and vanilla. Pour batter into greased baking dish. Place baking dish inside a larger baking dish and fill with the hottest tap water, until it comes halfway up the side of the 2-quart baking dish. Bake for exactly 1 hour. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6.

Guacamole Salad

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• ½ teaspoon lime zest, grated
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 limes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ crushed red pepper
• 2 Hass Avocados, chopped

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, bell pepper, onion, tomato and lime zest. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper. Pour the lime juice mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat.
2. Just before serving add the chopped avocados. Gently toss to coat. Serves 6.