Cornbread Salad

May 31, 2011

Tonight I am attending a Thirty-One area training to help me continue to grow my business. (www.mythirtyone.com/danacroy).  We were asked to contribute a dish and I am taking Cornbread Salad.  This is my version based on a great Southern Living recipe (where many of my best recipes come from!)

1 pan cornbread - use your favorite recipe for an 8x8 pan or an 8 inch round cast iron skillet
1 bunch of green onions - chopped
1 head of iceburg lettuce - chopped  ( you can use a more nutritious lettuce but as I was being budget conscious, well...)
2 cups of shredded  mexican cheese or sharp cheddar
1 jar of Kalamata olives
6 ounces of Ranch dressing ( I like Brianna's)
3 tomatoes - chopped

Prepare your cornbread, bake, then cool.  In a large bowl or trifle dish  spread 1/3 of the chopped lettuce, add , 1/3 of the cheese, 1/3 of the olives, 1/3 of the tomatoes, and the top layer is 1/2 of the cornbread (crumbled) repeat one time.  After adding the second repeat the process one final time though this time there is no cornbread to add (only 2 cornbread layers).  Drizzle the ranch over the dish and chill until ready to serve.

Mama's Yeast Rolls

March 30, 2011

I spend a lot of time talking to folks about food and many are surprised to know that like a good cast iron skillet I am a fairly seasoned Southern cook.  One of the things I love about regional foods, whether it is Southern or Chinese or Indian, is that the same dishes circulate through a region for ever and ever, amen.  A good example of this is some of Paula Deen's recipes.  When I first discovered Paula Deen and began reading her cookbooks I was shocked to see that many (and I mean many) could have been taken right out of my Mother's kitchen.  All of the great food I had been raised on had apparently been handed down through generations of cooks - Mothers, Grandmothers and even from slaves.  And, not only had it been handed down but it was a circular handing down that spanned an entire region - in this case the South.

The recipe I'm sharing today is another example of that.  These are the yeast rolls that often graced the dinner table on Sunday afternoons in my childhood home.  Those are dinners that I remember fondly.  The youngest of four children, I had nieces and nephews by the time I entered Kindergarten.  So family dinners included my siblings, their spouses, their children, friends who had stayed over Saturday night and often extended family members as not only did my Mother serve a wonderful table but my parents had the wisdom to install a pool for their large family.

We had all but forgotten those yeast rolls as the last years of my Mother's life found her unable to navigate the kitchen in which she created many meals.  Then, my oldest sister gave us all the family cookbook that her Mother-In-Law had created with her own siblings.  Lo and Behold!  There was an identical yeast roll recipe.  The same no rise yeast roll recipe that makes your mouth water and want to Praise Jesus on Sunday afternoons was there in print.  Now, here it is for you.

1 pack dry yeast

2 cups warm water

4 cups flour (I use pamela's baking mix)

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

Mix all ingredients.  Spoon into greased muffin tins.  Bake on 425 for 25 minutes.  Watch them starting at 15 minutes to ensure they do not brown too much.

Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

December 10, 2010

2 Boxes Ancient Quinoa Rotini

1 Package of  Mild Italian Sausage 

1/2 Large White Onion - Coarsely Diced

1 Jar Emeril's Roasted Gaaahlic Pasta Sauce

1 Can Crushed Tomatoes

1/2 cup Milk (I prefer whole for this recipe)

1 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to Taste

(As always, check your sauces and meats prior to cooking to ensure GF standards.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice uncooked sausage in half lengthwise.  Remove casing.  Cook in lightly oiled skillet or on griddle.  I use a cast iron griddle on my stove for this.  Cook on medium low for 10 minutes, turn, then cook an additional 10 minutes.  Saute onions until tender along with the sausage.  Meanwhile, cook pasta to box directions.  Drain.  Mix sauce, tomatoes and milk.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Transfer pasta to a 13x9 baking dish.  Pour tomato mixture over pasta.  Add cheese.  Now that the sausage has cooled cut into 1 inch pieces.  Add to dish.  Toss dish well coating all of the pasta ensuring that all ingredients are mixed well.  Bake for 20 minutes.  I usually serve this with salad and my cheesy scones.

Puffed Pancakes

September 26, 2010

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Pamela's Baking Mix (or other GF baking mix)

1/2 Tsp Salt

Pinch of Sugar or a Couple of Drops of Agave

1/2 Cup Milk

Beat eggs until light.  Add milk and continue to beat.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve to hungry family with toppings of choice (fruit, maple syrup, honey, etc.).  Enjoy!

I Broke Our Number One Rule in Parenting - Find Out Why

May 26, 2014

It had to happen.  Okay, I won’t lie, it’s happened before, but this time it happened on a big scale.  I gave in to a screaming child.  Actually, screaming is putting it mildly.  Screaming, kicking, irrational, absolute hysterics.  Unless you have seen my little Moon in a full blown tantrum, you really cannot grasp what this means and very few people have actually been witness to this (and fewer folks believe she is even capable of such behavior – shows what they know).

It began last year.  We moved her from a small private school where Goodwill grunge is all the rage, status symbols are hybrids, and parents try to keep their children as young and innocent as possible to public school where maturity among 7-year olds is king (or queen if you prefer).  She noticed immediately that there were some differences between herself and her new peers.  The two that stood out the most were the lack of earrings and the inability to sleepover with friends.  Despite the differences, the year progressed, she made many friends and we made it to first grade without too much stress.

First grade  came and was even better than the first with two exceptions – the pesky issues of not being allowed to sleepover and being as of yet unpierced.  We stood firm on both.  I had great experiences sleeping over once I was in middle school, but due to the differences in parenting and what available for kids to see on both the internet and the television, we are just not budging in this issue.  In regards to the piercing, however, I continued to wonder if we should let her go for it.  She didn’t know this, of course, but I did.  And then my resolve crumbled.  No, that’s not true.  I changed my mind.  Back to the tantrum.

I picked her up from school on Friday and we headed to the other side of town to collect The Sun from school, meet a friend for dinner, grocery shop and run other random errands.   Arwyn was tired and hungry and refused my offer of a Vitamin Water, which I keep in the car for children in just such a state.  She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and requested to go home and change, which I denied for several reasons.  I was taking a chance and well, I lost. The tantrum set in which quickly devolved into every wrong doing that I have ever committed against her, namely not letting her spend the night with friends and not letting her get her ears pierced.  Here we go again.  After 45 minutes of sheer hysterics she finally managed to convey a few things to me which is where my mind was changed.
I want to preface the following with letting you know that this child can make her own breakfast (she makes a healthy blueberry smoothie for herself each morning), make her bed, help with the laundry and do many more things that most kids simply cannot or will not do.  Here is what she said, “Mommy I know you think I am a little girl, but I’m not.  I’m a big girl.  I promise to take care of my ears so they won’t get infected.  I don’t like being sad or mad.  This makes me sad and mad that I cannot get my ears pierced.  Mommy, I don’t like being different from the other girls and I just want to be pretty.”  Sigh.

I can remember being the youngest child of older parents and often feeling and being different from the other girls.  In fact, like The Moon, who was born with a cleft lip and palate with the results being quite visable, I was born with a facial defect and never quite fit in.  Life is different now for kids in both good and bad ways and the other children welcomed our girl with open arms, but peer pressure is still and always will be part of growing up.  If I can give her any small opportunities to feel special and pretty and the same as the other girls so that her differences are not always emphasized, well, I’m going to.

There are times as parents when we have to stand our ground and there are times when we owe it to our kids to be open to changing our minds.  This was one of those times.  After a quick consultation with my wonderful hubby who was in full agreement and a lovely dinner of  Greek food, we headed to the nearest Clare’s.  I now give you The Moon, complete with pierced ears.

“To bring up a child in the way he should go, travel that way yourself once in a while. “~Josh Billings

The Gospel According to Arwyn

May 16, 2014

Last night the Moon told us she played “telephone” in her 1st grade classroom.  Her teacher (teacher of the year to us) taught the kids this great games.  Of course, she wanted to demonstrate it at home.  This is how the conversation went:

Arwyn:  Let’s play telephone.

Us:  Okay.

Arwyn:  I’ll be the gospel.

Us:  What?

Arwyn:  I’ll be the gospel.

Us:  baahaahaahaahaahaa…………………..

Arwyn:  What’s so funny?

Me:  I think you mean the gossiper.

On Zoobooks and Marriage

We love Zoobooks.  They are beautiful and educational.  Zoobooks make our 8 year go wild when she realizes her monthly subscription has arrived in the mail.  But, I didn’t realize the added power of Zoobooks when I placed the order.  Distraction.  Last night, my little Moon came into the bathroom for her bath and was holding her newest Zoobook in hand.  This is the conversation that ensued:

A:  Mom, I have to go potty before my bath.

Me:  OK.

A:  You may think it’s strange that I have this book but I am going to read it while I potty.  That’s a little weird too, I know, but it helps get my mind off (wait for it….) getting married.

And there you have it folks.  Zoobooks help distract girls from planning their weddings….when they are eight years old.

I Did It

April 16, 2014

It has been a long time coming.  Whispers in the back of my mind.  Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks at a meeting in December when I realized I was swimming upstream with my job…against a current of apathy and perhaps lack of understanding.  And then, he asked.  The son, our twelve year old, asked to be home schooled.  Again.  He has asked many times before and I could not bring myself there with him.  The idea began to grow in my mind and by the end of January I had made my decision.  Nathan was on board but the loss of income scared us both.  Not a huge loss.

By the time we make our commute, eat out two times per week, pay for private school for one kid and afternoon care for both…what is left?  Not much.  Once I made the decision, got Nathan fully on board, told our little Moon and attended a national home school conference, the signs began to come.  I cannot list them all here but I can tell you my ears perked up and I began to hear the murmurings from so many of my parent peers.

“I work so the kids can go to school here.”  “By the time I pay daycare costs it’s almost as if I should not work.”  “It seems like I am working to pay someone else to raise my kids.”  Is this really where we are as a society?  My mind began to reel.  Yes.  It is.   I wanted to run away these last few weeks.  Throw in the towel.  But, I didn’t.  I made a commitment to myself to go to the end.  The end of the school year.  The end of our giving season.  To meet my goals laid out a year ago with my job.  I hung in there through the biggest charity event of the year for my organization.  And then….on Monday….I said four little words……

“This is my notice.”

The weight of the world  was lifted from my shoulders and I can finish the year with light joy knowing what awaits me at the end.  My family.  My sanity.  The joy of making each day count with those I care most about.  It won’t be perfect every day but each day will be perfect in its own way.