Making Due

OK, so I saw this recipe in Better Homes and Gardens.  It's a winner from Lisa Speer of Palm Beach, FL:

Fresh Corn Cakes with Garden Relish

2 T. olive oil
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta mix
1/2 cup flour
1/4 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 recipe Garden Relish

I won't go over the rest of the recipe, because you can find it in the July 2010 issue of Better Homes and Gardens, just like I did.

I thought this looked appealing.  I thought 'hey, that would go with the meatloaf I am making tonight - frozen meatloaf muffins from the last big freezer cook day.'

So I went to work.  Here's how it went:

Olive oil?  Nah.  These things get fried.  Where's the Canola?  I used enough to cover the bottom of the pan.

2 cups fresh corn?  Who has that this early in the year?  One can of corn from the pantry.  Check.

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion?  I don't want pieces of onion in my mouth.  Let's try a nominal amount of dried minced onion.

Buttermilk?  Are they kidding?  Who has buttermilk in the fridge?  Well, I have evaporated milk and some butter.  I'll just use both.

An egg.  Well, finally something I actually have on hand.

Quick cooking polenta?  Doesn't that have corn in it?  OK, I am NOT going to the store.  Here's some Jiffy Cornbread Mix in the pantry.  That should work, right?

Flour.  Hah!  I have flour!

Baking soda/baking powder/salt:  now here is where I am a genius, thank you very much. My Jiffy cornbread mix already has all that.  So there.

So I whizzed it all up in a bowl and made a batter.  Then I tasted it.

Then I added some sugar and a shake of crushed red pepper.  And salt.

I tasted it again.  Then I dropped it into the hot oil and fried'em right up.

Garden relish?  No thanks.  Too much trouble.

Now I am decidedly NOT a cook, let alone a good one.  But these were quite good with some butter.  I was shocked.

Gourmet?  Not me.  Throw it together with what you have?  Well, there you go.

xoxoxox

From "More" Magazine

I read this this morning and cracked up:

MIDLIFE STRESS-STUFFED CABBAGE

• 2 sets of aging parents, rapidly deteriorating
• 1-3 (or 5) wise!@# teenagers, or more in blended families, growing up alarmingly fast
• Escalating auto insurance rates
• Way too many college applications at any given time
• Inadequate college savings amounts
• Life-sucking jobs, yours, his, or both
• Enough wisdom to recognise all the mistakes you've made over the years
• Not enough wisdom to correct them
• Large cabbage leaves, as needed
• Olives, peppers, debt, and despair, for topping

1. Combine the first 8 problems (and you can use up any others that are rotting in your pantry). Pulverize into a pounding headache.

Stuff the cabbage leaves and, while performing this tedious task, think about doing rebellious things you did when you yourself were a wise!@# teenager, like getting some extra piercings or hitching a ride to Guatemala.

Top with olives, peppers, debt and despair and bake until everything and everyone has a complete meltdown. Serve with a flaming temper.

from "Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife," Fireside Publishing, copyright 2009 by Nava Atlas.

xoxox