Maize and Maze and Corn Casserole GF

First, I will begin with greatest of apologies for my neglect to my posts.  My cooking and creating and creative cooking have continued in the lapse of writing as life has swirled its ups and downs around my happy kitchen. 

That said, a new beginning.  Corn or Maize.  As a child it was a favorite vegetable of mine.  Not so much for the crunchy sweet goodness - albeit a real perk there - but for its color. 

Yes, I have been powered by yellow for a long time.

As we come out of the summer months, the corn growing months, and enter into Fall my cooking thoughts drift to grilled corn, fresh corn, corn to store for winter months.  The recipe today is a great one to use as the nights get darker, a little crisper, and you have some stored corn.  We freeze our corn, right off the cob.  I recommend steaming it slightly but not fully cooked before cutting from the cob and into the freezer bags. Canned corn can also be used

Corn Casserole (GF) with a Southwestern kick

Ingredients and How To:

9 x 13 pan, buttered
oven to 375 for glass pan and 400 for a regular pan

1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 cups Corn
1- 4 oz can diced chiles (double if you want to taste more chile!)  * or fresh fire roasted, maybe three or four diced with skins and seeds removed
                                        
1/2 cup Oil
3 Tablespoons Honey
1 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 1/4 cup Cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons Almond Milk * or milk of your choice

Mix dry ingredients 
Mix wet ingredients
Mix ingredients together, fold in corn, chiles and cheese.

Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 50 minutes.


 A lesson in brief on maize and mazes.  Maize is corn. I think that is sufficiently brief.

 Now, mazes, are a whole different piece to the historical puzzle.  Mazes, otherwise known -and mostly known -as labyrinths date back, way back.  Think ancient peoples, Romans, and

                                                                   
                                                                     Greek Mythology.

Labyrinths have been used as a connective or integral symbol for some cultures - Greeks, Mayans, Celtics, and Native Americans.  To some Native American people the maze is symbolic of a journey or Mother Earth.  Mazes were used in French Cathedral flooring, Scandinavian architecture and the wealthiest of European kingdoms developed a garden labyrinth for sport - find the center and then find your way back to the beginning point or

                                            for decoration such as the palace grounds of Versailles.
                                                             

 

This maze  located outside of the St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe, NM is considered medieval in its design and it is done in cut stone.  This church was built in the early 1800's, Roman Catholic, but a church had been on this site as early as the 1600's built by the Pueblo people. 

Coming forward in time, corn mazes have become a tradition.  There are competitions for most creative. 

 Particularly around Halloween we find the advertisements and competitions for the scariest, the spookiest, the mazes you enter at your own risk.  The objective is to survive.  I mean, the objective is no different than those of kingdoms.  Start at the beginning, find the center and return to the beginning.  Does anyone know how you know it is the center?  Hhhhmmm..... 

If you plan on such an outing this October, have fun.  Be safe! 

                                                                    For my kids : )

Banana Boat Bars GF

It's the month of May that can really test a person's time management.  As the school year winds down every concert, rehearsal, talent show, presentation, final exams, awards and recitals fit into each and every school night in addition to the regular list of nightly activities. This year, we are also including graduation of my eldest daughter from High School.  (Extremely proud of her.  She has done amazing.)  Planting needs to be done for summer vegetable and flower hopefuls. And then, just to mock me year after year, let's toss Mother's Day into May.  Now, I feel special.  OK, so a little cynical when really all are very good things and truly my real gripe is just the time issue.  I need more time in an hour, more time in a day! . 

Feeling a little nostalgic today, thinking on simpler, not better mind you, but simpler times.  Times when it was my mother's time management that was tested and I just breezed along.  Times when I would come home after school, riding, or activities and be able to grab a snack.  My sister, ever the sensible eater, nabbed an apple but I would go for the cookie jar or cookie bars.  Banana bars were one of my favs!  Feeling like May 20 is a banana bar kind of day~

DAY-O
Oh, come, Mister Tallyman, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Me say come, Mister  Tallyman, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Banana Bars GF

Ingredients and How to:

Oven to 325.  Spray or butter or oil a 9x13 pan.

1 1/4 cups GF flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
 *mix above ingredients together into a bowl and set aside.

In an electric mixing bowl:
1/2 cup butter softened
2/3 cup honey
1 banana  - I don't wait for them to turn brown and mushy.  just a ripe banana.  Mash it in advance or cut into pieces into the bowl -
*Mix above ingredients until smooth
Add:
1/3 cup almond milk or any milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
and two eggs.

Mix in dry ingredients.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 25- 30 minutes.

Without much thought I find myself warbling the Harry Belafonte classic "Day-O," otherwise known as the "Banana Boat Song."  Some interesting tid-bits to this song:

The "Banana Boat Song" is a traditional Jamaican song sung by dock workers loading bananas into ships through the night.  It's day light and they wait for the tally man to count so they can go home.  While this song may have been sung by the dock workers, it was adapted and first sung and recorded by the Carribeans as "Day De Light" in 1952. 

In 1956, Folk singer Bob Gibson taught the song to the then folk trio known as The Tarriers.

The Tarriers, Erik Darling, Bob Carey and Alan Arkin, recorded the song and became the first Folk trio to have a song on the Billboard charts.  This group has been considered ahead of its time and while they paved the way for the Kingston Trio and other Folk artists, their own success in the music recording industry was not lasting.  However, the "Calypso craze" movement in America was begun.  Now, the Tarriers themselves, individually, moved on to have other successful careers.  Alan Arkin made his Broadway debut in 1958 and has gone on to be an actor, director, and producer.

Personally, I liked him in the movie In Laws co-starring Peter Falk.

Back to the Banana Boat! Calypso music, as I understand it, contains both African and French influences and there are some that note it may go back as far as medeival France?  Well, the "Banana Boat Song" didn't phase out but gathered momentum as it was picked up and recorded by Harry Belafonte.

Harry Belafonte recorded his version of the song, titled "Day-O" in 1956 and it became a core piece in his Calypso album.  Interesting things you may or may not know about Mr. Belafonte.  His parents were Carribean immigrants.  Always interested in Folk songs he collected and absorbed traditional Folk songs from around the world. He was a Civil Rights activist and knew Martin Luther King, Jr., calling him friend and was with him when King delivered his "I have a Dream" speech.  It was to Mr. Belafonte's credit that Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie wrote "We Are the World" for Belafonte and other artists to perform in 1985 raising money for Ethiopia.  The song earned millions.   Belafonte guest-starred on a Muppet Show and explained the "Banana Boat Song" and in 1988, it was Belafonte's version playing on the set of the movie, Beetlejuice. 

     Day-o  Day-o
     Work all night and drink a rum
     Stack banana 'til the mornin' come
     Come Mister Tallyman, tally me banana
     Daylight come and me wan' go home.

(ah, I know you're singing along!)

While Harry Belafonte's "Day-O" may be the most well known in this country, in the UK Dame Shirley Bassey, a Welsh singer, hit the charts with it in 1957.

 Her rendition offerred on her album, the bewitching Miss Bassey, followed the Tarriers with the blending of two Folk songs, "The Banana Boat Song" and "Hill and Gully Rider."

     Now I sleep by the sun an' I work by moon
     Day-li-light and I wan' go home, Hey!
     All a de workman sing this song
     Day-li-light and I wan' go home.

While her "Banana  Boat Song" was a success for her, charting in the UK #8, she is perhaps better known for other works to include her three James Bond theme songs.  Count 'em:
1. Goldfinger
2.Diamonds are Forever
3. Moonraker

Fabulous voice has the bewitching Miss Bassey. 

Banana Bars out of the oven and cooled -

Frosting ingredients and how to:
4 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract   

Mix until smooth and spread onto bars. 

ENJOY! 

     Day!  Me say Day, me say Day, me say Day-O
     Daylight come and me wan' go home.

                                                       

Ragtime Pineapple Cake GF

April 15, otherwise known as:

 April 15, 1861 President Lincoln imposed the first federal income tax - the Revenue Act.  Originally, a 3% tax on annual incomes over $800. was imposed to help fund the Civil War. 

Now-a-days, taxes are used to fund a great many things, and a bit of our gremlin-like personalities have surfaced. However, the ever positive and patriotic tax trend continued for many generations since 1861. 

I said to my Uncle Sam
Old Man Taxes, here I am
And he was glad to see me
Mister Small Fry, yes, indeed
Lower brackets, that's my speed
But he was glad to see me

I paid my income tax today
I never felt so proud before
To be right there with the millions more
Who paid their income tax today

I'm squared up with the U.S.A.
See those bombers in the sky?
Rockefeller helped to build 'em, so did I
I paid my income tax today....

As written by the one and only Irving Berlin in 1942 to support the war effort.

Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist - born in Russia 1888, his family relocated to New York City in 1893.  Berlin became an American of the ages.  Fun is a key concept for Berlin, beginning the Ragtime dance craze internationally with Alexander's Ragtime Band in 1911, several ragtime tunes and continuing with Puttin' on the Ritz in 1930.  He wrote several musicals - "Madame Butterfly", "Easter Parade" with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, "White Christmas" (also one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time), and many many others. 

And yet another tie to Americana, Berlin believed in the American people.  He wrote music and lyrics hoping to inspire individual Americans, whom he referred to as the "real soul of the country."
On the 20th anniversary of Armistice Day, Kate Smith sang Berlin's God Bless America, which he had written in 1928 but did not release it until she sang it in 1938.

God Bless America, of which we are all familiar, became recognized as a second national anthem.  Irving Berlin donated all royalties from the song to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.

But on this April 15 it is currently a snowy blowy day out my kitchen window, a day in need of fun; a spring time cake with Ragtime tunes~

Ragtime Pineapple Cake- GF

 

Ingredients and How to:

Oven 400, spray or oil a 9" round pan

1 fresh pinapple, cored and sliced however you want to slice it. 

1 cup unsalted butter melted and set aside to cool a bit

Mix together: 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder. 

Mix together:  1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup almond milk (you can use regular milk, lactose free, whatever whichever you like.  Almond milk, unsweetened has only 20 calories per half cup and it gives the cake a different richness), 1/2 cup honey, and the melted butter.

In a small pan melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and 1/3 cup honey until they blend and bubble slightly.

Pour butter/honey into prepared pan.  Arrange pineapple slices on top.

I like chunks of pineapple and a little chaotic presentation. 


 Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients.  Batter will be thick. Spoon onto pineapple slices. 
Bake for 25 minutes.  Let cake cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting onto plate.  Give the cake a couple of minutes to release from the pan, lift pan carefully and set aside.

Not bad for tax day ~

This is a great country, a great country
So let's shout it clear and loud!

Take a look in your history book
And you'll see why we should be proud!

Hats off to America, the home of the free and the brave
If this is flag waving, flag waving
Do you know a better flag to wave?

This is a great country, a great country
So let's shout it clear and loud!
                   This Is A Great Country - Berlin 1962

                                                           Irving Berlin 1888 - 1989

Denial Cupcakes GF DF, and Choc/Cherry Cookies GF

I was reading an article in Health Magazine- April 2013 issue, titled "Clear Your Schedule" with such sub headings as What Weighs You Down and How to Lighten Up.  One bit of advice is to "Stop the auto-yes."  The article goes on, " 'Everyone lives in an optimistic world and thinks that if we say yes we will find the time, but the truth is we are in denial,' says Julie Morgenstern, one fo the top organization and productivity experts in the country." Well, that just hit me BOINK between the eyes.  I mean, Amen, Sister! 

So, then this evening around 5:30 with all the other nightly activities and obligations in full swing, my youngest daughter tells me that tomorrow her math class will be celebrating pi day as they missed it on March 14 and she signed US up for 30 dairy free gluten free cookies.  They need to be like pi, could we do it... PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE?!

I live in that optimistic world and I said the magic word, yes. 

My inspiration:

A card I have had forever.  Cherries and chocolate and round and I need 30.  Cookies.  Yes again.

Cherry Chocolate Ice Box Cookies (adapted from an ancient Hershey's cookbook)
Ingredients and how to:

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups GF flour
1/2 cup Almond Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream butter and sugar, add in egg and yolk, then vanilla.  Mix dry ingredients and add in to butter mixture.  This is the base.

Take out about 1 1/4 cups or so of the dough and put into another bowl.  Add in:

1/4 cup chopped cherries
1 1/2 teaspoons cherry extract or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
I added neon pink food coloring.  Mix and set aside.

For the dough remaining:
In a small bowl mix 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa,
                                 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
                                 2 Tablespoons water.
Turns into a glumpy mix.  Add in to the dough and beat until smooth.

Now, we have chocolate dough and cherry dough. 
Divide chocolate dough in half and cherry dough in half.  With one half of the chocolate dough, make a rough roll, place onto parchment paper, cover with parchment paper (I just put it on half of parchment and fold the parchment over) and roll into a rectangle about 4 inches wide, maybe 12 inches long.  With floured hands (remember gluten free flour!) take half of the cherry dough and form a long roll to fit on top of the chocolate dough.  Then roll it all up!

I cut the rolls in half.  Wrap them back into parchment.  If you have the time - ya right - put them in the frige, even over night.  If not, as in my case, pop them in the freezer to firm.

And then, as so frequents my life, that annoying BOINK between the eyes~

NO DAIRY.  My first ingredient is butter.  Dddrrrrrr....  Scroll down for continuation of cookie recipe. Out of time, quick quick.  Livin' in denial~

Denial Cupcakes - dairy free and gluten free and ... quick!

Ingredients and how to:
Oven to 375.  Paper two mini-muffin pans - we're going for at least 30.

1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Gluten Free flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup almond milk
AND quick prayer that this works~

Whisk oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.  In another bowl whisk dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients alternating with almond milk to oil mixture, ending with dry ingredients.  Smooth but don't over mix. 

Using small scoop, fill each mini-muffin paper.  Bake for about 14 minutes.  Test with toothpick or wooden skewer, don't let them overbake.

Prayer answered, Very moist and delicious!  No frosting needed. 

Back to my ice box cookies.  Oven to 350.  Line two baking sheets with parchment.  Take a roll out, one at a time,  and slice 1/4 inch or so thick or thin or thereabouts and place on prepared baking sheet.

Into center of oven for 7 - 9 minutes.

 

Are they perfect?  No, but they will do for an exact equation:

The number pi is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

 

 

 

Next time, we're slicing cucumbers~

 

 

 

Corned Beef and Cabbage Egg Rolls

For years now, since my oldest daughter was probably 1 year old, I have purchased white daisies, or carnations, or pom-poms three days or so before St. Patrick's day.  I bring them home and add some green food coloring and my daughter, now my kids, watch each day as the flowers absorb more color and turn to green. Even as old as they are now, as old as I am now, it is still a yearly thing to do. Yes, there are green bouquets in the grocers, but this is more fun and very pretty.

Okay, moving on to the 2nd day of corned beef and cabbage.  Really, this has to be done second day too if you have leftover cabbage, because the green stuff will melt down if you wait much longer.  For the second day of corned beef and cabbage we decided to borrow from an idea a local pub had for an appetizer but do our own thing. 

Corned Beef and Cabbage Egg Rolls 

Ingredients and how to:

1 package egg roll wrappers.  In cold section of grocery store.  Each package has about 18 wrappers.
leftover corned beef and cabbage but into strips
gruyere cheese grated
paprika

Stuffing and Rolling:

Have a small basting brush and cup of water next to where you are working. Place an egg roll wrapper corner facing yourself onto a plate or cutting board.  Fill with ingredients by layering:  cabbage, corned beef, cheese and sprinkle of paprika.  Do not over fill but egg rolls tend to actually increase in size some when they are frying, so still full.
Tuck corner facing you around filling.  With a small brush and cup of water moisten sides of eggroll wrapper and up to the corner opposite.  Then tuck in each side so they seal and roll straight up.

  These go very quickly.  Place on plate and heat oil for deep frying to 375 or 400.

Drop into fryer, turning them once.  Only about 2 - 3 minutes total time so keep an eye on them.

 

 

 

 

Honey Mustard Sauce for dipping ~

 

Ingredients and how to:

Stone ground mustard - 4 Tablespoons
Honey- 1 Tablespoon
Worcestershire Sauce - 2 teaspoons

Mix and serve. 

Ta da!  Finger food leftovers~