Vegetable Spoon Bread

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
1 (8-ounce) can creamed corn
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) package corm muffin mix

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; grease an 8-inch round baking dish. Combine the spinach, corn, eggs, sour cream, butter, and salt in a large bowl; mix well. Add the corn muffin mix and stir until throughly combined. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.

A Thyme to Remember

Eggplant Patrice

1 small eggplant
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped
Salt, pepper and garlic salt
1 1/2 cups of sharp Cheddar cheese

Slice unpeeled eggplant 1/4 inch thick; parboil slices until partially tender. In a casserole dish, layer eggplant, sliced tomatoes, chopped onion and green bell pepper, Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic salt and1/2 of the grated cheese. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Cover and bake in a preheated oven a 400 degrees until mixture is steaming. Remove cover, reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until eggplant is tender and sauce is thick and golden brown.

A Southern Collection Then and Now

Black Bean Pasta

Red-tailed Hawks ©DaveSpier

1 large onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans

1 1/2 ounces capers, drained
1/4 cup sliced black lives
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked, drained
Fat-free Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves

Saute the onion, red pepper, yellow pepper and mushrooms in the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until tender. Stir in the black beans, undrained tomatoes, undrained kidney beans, capers, black oilives, rosemary, basil and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon over the angel hair pasta on a serving platter. Garnish with freshly grated fat-free Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.

A Taste of the Good Life: From the Heart of Tennessee

Broccoli Wild Rice Soup - Revisited

First Snowfall of the Season

Brad, the painter, was staining entry doors and windows in the shop today. Joan recalled how Brad much he enjoyed Broccoli Wild Rice Soup so she prepared it for lunch.

Puffed Apple Pancake

Joan purchased from Amazon.com the cookbook, Recipes Worth Sharing, published by Favorite Recipes Press.

This morning for Sunday brunch Joan prepared the Puffed Apple Pancake submitted by the Junior League of Kankakee County, Kankakee, Illnois. This recipe can be found on page 79.



Ingredients:
1 cup milk
4 eggs
2/3cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored
and thinly sliced (about 2)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Confectioners' sugar

Directions:
Whisk the milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon in a bowl until the batter is smooth. Place butter in a9x13-inch glass baking dish and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until melted. Remove from the oven and cover the bottom of the baking dish with the apples. Bake for 10 minutes or until the apples begin to soften and the butter is bubbly. Pour the batter over the apples and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and brown. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm with maple syrup. Makes 4 servings

Joan served this tasty pancake with sausage.

Chicken Cacciatore Soup

Add a couple drops of hot pepper sauce for those who like it hot!

Autumn abounds outside so we spent the afternoon cleaning up the flower beds. In order to warm us up, Joan made this hardy soup. She served it with a fresh garden salad and a garlic toasted Kaiser roll.

1 c. rotini pasta, uncooked
3 14.5-oz. cans vegetable broth, divided
1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bit-size pieces
30-oz. jar extra chunky spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes in juice, chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
Optional: 1 T. red wine

Cook rotini according to package directions, substituting one can broth for part of the water; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. simmer 20 to 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir in rotini and heat through.

Makes 5 servings.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Wedding Favors

Joan found this recipe in the Post-Standard.
She made it as the weekend dessert.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
From Tina Redmond of Syracuse

2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
6 ounces chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin and oil. In a separate bowl,combine dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a 9-by-13 rectangular cake pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Note: You can sift powdered sugar over the top when it cools if you want, but it doesn’t really need it.