A few weeks ago my friend, Jim, at Muddy Dog Coffee Roasters asked if I would be interested in trying a new item he had come up with. Roasted Cornmeal. I am the adventurous sort so I agreed.
Unique flavor for any recipe that calls for cornmeal.
What is roasted cornmeal you ask? Well it is made from corn that is grown locally in Jim’s neck of the woods and then roasted. The roasted kernels are ground to a flavorful cornmeal that just has the most unique flavor I have tried. Slightly smokey and more intense than regular cornmeal, this roasted type is going to totally rock your cornmeal world. I think this would be awesomeness used in a tamale pie recipe and I can’t wait to try a few more recipes with it.
Jim is very eco-conscious and I appreciate the careful consideration he gives to promoting and buying local ingredients. His roasting method for coffee and cornmeal turns out high quality products every time. At least every time I have tried them!
Remember I reviewed the Southern Living Glorious Grits book? Well Jim also has roasted grits that he sent and I will be reviewing them as well. I will also be sharing the recipe I made with the smoked cornmeal as well as the grits.
Disclaimer: Muddy Dog Roasters sent me the cornmeal. No money exchanged hands. They are not asking for the product back.Not that I would send it back anyway. My opinions are based solely on the quality of the product and the fact that Jim has kidnapped my manatee and is holding it hostage even as we speak. Please buy this product. I miss Barbara Manatee.
Image:marye audet
Maple Tangerine Chicken Breast is one of those perfect throw together meals. You know the ones…the kind you want to be really impressive but you don’t have time to create magic? Yeah. This is easy….
The flavors came together better than I expected them to. I combined maple syrup, a good dijon, and tangerine for the glaze. (more…)
Running a little late. I had been up late last night trying to meet deadlines…ended up sleeping in too late…then spent the afternoon running errands.
One of the things I am doing is I have rejoined a gym. Starting next week I am back in the gym 6 days a week. I want to be in the best shape I can because I promised the kids a week at the beach and…the most exciting news to me…I am going on a cruise in the autumn. I have never been and I am really looking forward to it… I will be looking MORE forward to it when I have my bathing suit body back. I will let you know how I am doing with that.
It has been warm lately, for the most part. We had a day of unexpected snow…but mostly it has been in the 70s. I am just starting to be warm enough.
I am not able to post much to this blog right now. While I was being paid (handsomely) for b5media Baking Delights I am not making money at my personal blogs yet.. or not much. That means that unfortunately these have to be somewhat of an afterthought. Stick with me… once the new book is done things will settle down. …I hope.
:::Sunday Morning::::
Well right in the middle of that I checked my email and had a message that put me over the edge for the rest of the night. But, as Gloria Gaynor once said… I will survive. And I will.
So, sorry for the delay… and on to Saturday Blogsurfing, ‘k?
First of all… have you visited Dessert Stalking Yet? Seriously… Major Sweet Food Porn. I have had more images published on there than I ever had on the other sites. 
Image after image of droolworthy yumminess. I also have discovered the Dallas Wine Blog which has some great wine reviews
images (c) marye audet
O.k. I made these for Renee at Flamingo Musings… really I did. I wanted to send them to her with a cookbook..
I am nice that way.
So I baked them and let the kids each have one…and saved 2 dozen for Renee…and then…stuff happened. Lots of stuff. Stress. Life. And pretty soon the cookies were gone and I still hadn’t sent a thing to Renee.
Did I feel awful? Yeah. Dang. I hate saying I am going to do something and then not doing it. But there ya go. Life sometimes gets in the way. So, here is the recipe. And Renee? I will get the cookies to you as soon as I can, girlfriend.
These are chewy and chocolatey…with a tiny bit of citrus from the cardamom. Candied orange peel would be amazing in these. Don;t overbake them or they will be hard and not chewy..unless you want them that way.
Chocolate Cardamom Pecan Cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh cardamom
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup bittersweeet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
- Turbinado sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment
- Cream shortening, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sugars together and beat well
- Mix dry ingredients together and stir into the butter mixture
- Fold in remaining ingredients except turbinado sugar
- Chill for 30 minutes
- Drop by rounded teaspoons in turbinado sugar
- Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until just barely done. Allow to cool for 1o minutes before removing from the cookie sheet.
4 dozen cookies
Images: marye audet (c) 2010 all rights reserved
Another Saturday.
This one is rainy and cold after several days of warm, springlike weather. The tree outside my bedroom window has tiny green fluffs all along the branches - and seems to be struggling against the sharp wind in protest. Gray, rainy, drizzly, cold…they type of day that Anne Shirley would pull her chair up near the fire and write to Gilbert with just the “right kind of nib” on her pen.
Luckily, here in cyber-space it is always warm and sunny and just the right kind of day for surfing.
Easter is coming up. I need to get some things done for it, myself. With a large family like mine we have celebrations every month. We have birthdays nearly every month of the year along with all of the other holidays. March and April are especially busy with birthdays and anniversaries and Easter. I usually do something special for Easter; not sure how or what this year but I am looking for ideas. We will see what I come up with.
Anyway… We both know why you are here, right? Let’s get started.
And there you have it. I am always amazed at the incredible variety of images, recipes, and talent available on the Internet. Speaking of talent, Courtney from CocoCooks has produced a new magazine. It is amazing - you can subscribe to it or see it on site. Called simply, Coco it is all about her culinary travels. You know her photography is awesome… check it out.
If you like online magazines, I have one as well. It is not primarily culinary, however. Called Autumn Tapestry, it is for women of a certain age; menopausal princesses as it were. If you are frustrated with reading the magazines you read in your 20s but you still want news, fashion, and lifestyle from a more experienced point of view…you might like it. It is small still - but growing. And the more I have to do the less time I have to get in trouble…
Have a great week!
images:marye audet
