PAN Spoon Bread Upgraded!

I decided to make this more of a savory dish.  I added a small jar of pimentos, black pepper, and oregano. I add these to the egg mixture and made the recipe the same way as the plain version.  I have started using more milk and less water for more flavor.  I also baked this in my gold mini deep dish pizza pans for some extra color on the sides.

3 teaspoons coconut oil, or butter, or margarine

1 cup water
2 cups milk, I use almond
1 cup pre-cooked corn meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash of salt
3 eggs

Pimentos

Black pepper

Oregano

Preheat oven to 375.

Put 3 teaspoons of coconut oil in a casserole dish. My casserole dish is 11x7. A larger dish would make a more shallow spoon bread and cook faster.  Place the casserole dish with the coconut oil in it into the oven.

Combine the pre-cooked corn meal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat your eggs in a small bowl, add pimentos, pepper, and oregano and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat your milk and water over medium heat until tiny bubbles start to form, not boiling.  

Remove from heat and add the corn meal mixture, whisking to combine.  Once combined, you are going to temper the eggs. This was my first time tempering eggs!  Spoon some of the hot corn meal mixture into the eggs and whisk together.  Do this several times before adding all the eggs to the pan of corn meal mixture.  Whisk together until totally combined.  Carefully remove your casserole dish from the oven which now contain melted coconut oil.  Pour the spoon bread batter into the casserole.  

Remember to use your oven mitts to put that back into the oven for about 30-35 minutes depending on the size of your casserole.  You will know it is done when it is golden brown along the edges.  You can thank adding the batter to a hot pan for that deliciousness!

P.A.N. (pre-cooked corn meal) Spoon Bread

I am still learning all of the wonders of pre-cooked corn meal.  I knew I wanted to try a type of corn pudding and found spoon bread is exactly what I was looking for! 

3 teaspoons coconut oil, or butter, or margarine
1 cup water
2 cups milk, I use almond
1 cup pre-cooked corn meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash of salt
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 375.

Put 3 teaspoons of coconut oil in a casserole dish. My casserole dish is 11x7. A larger dish would make a more shallow spoon bread and cook faster.  Place the casserole dish with the coconut oil in it into the oven.

Combine the pre-cooked corn meal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat your eggs in a small bowl and set aside.

In a saucepan, heat your milk and water over medium heat until tiny bubbles start to form, not boiling.  

Remove from heat and add the corn meal mixture, whisking to combine.  Once combined, you are going to temper the eggs. This was my first time tempering eggs!  Spoon some of the hot corn meal mixture into the eggs and whisk together.  Do this several times before adding all the eggs to the pan of corn meal mixture.  Whisk together until totally combined.  Carefully remove your casserole dish from the oven which now contain melted coconut oil.  Pour the spoon bread batter into the casserole.  

Remember to use your oven mitts to put that back into the oven for about 30-35 minutes depending on the size of your casserole.  You will know it is done when it is golden brown along the edges.  You can thank adding the batter to a hot pan for that deliciousness!

Serve warm with either savory things like beans or greens, or sweet with butter and honey or maple syrup.

I am not sure why is smells like Italian cookies in here but I'm not mad at it!

Pretty Ube Custard

This is a repost of the original but today I added 3 tsp of ube powder and some vanilla syrup.  The ube doesn't really alter the taste at all but it sure does alter a mood!  I friggin love purple. I am also off the soy milk and now making and drinking almond milk using Joi's almond milk base and my Ninja blender.

I have been making this for a few weeks now and each time I need to look it up on Reddit, convert the sous vide temperature to Fahrenheit, and it is getting annoying!  So, here it is!

Here is the link to the original recipe Idiot Proof Sous Vide Custard

I make mine with soy milk though. This makes 3 jars just over 1 cup full.   It really doesn't make a lot so I make a recipe and a half and fit 5 mason jars in my pan.   I have recently started eating bananas again and this is vair yummy with bananas and a bit of maple syrup!

Set up your water and sous vide to 178 degrees Fahrenheit

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp Torani Vanilla Syrup

Dash of salt
2 cups almond milk (or whatever milk you want to use)

For pretty purple custard add 3 tsp of ube powder.

Blend the eggs, sugar, vanilla syrup, ube powder, and salt for at least one minute.  I have used my immersion blender for this recipe and it is so easy.  I have also just used a whisk and it is fine too.  Add the milk beverage of your choice and mis well.

Pour into mason jars, about 1 cup in each jar.  Screw the lids on the jars.

Place into the heated water when it is ready.  Check for doneness after an hour.  Mine seem to take more like an hour and 20 minutes.

Remove the lids while the custards cool or it may become difficult to remove the lids later.

Simple.  Easy.  Idiot proof indeed!

Quick Vegan Baked Beans

I am no stranger to taking dried beans and making things from the beginning but sometimes the convenience of canned beans can't be beat.  I like to use dried beans when I am meal prepping making cowboy beans or chili or whatever it is I make.  I call it chili but it isn't necessarily really chili.  It is beans, peppers, and tomatoes and spices. Stewed beans?  Who knows!

Since it is a holiday today and I have some holiday type food for my guests, I decided to make myself some baked beans as a treat!  I have some special dark maple syrup from my daughter from Canada and super special oregano from Rancho Gordo.  It's a holiday for sure!

Baked Beans

2 cans pinto beans, drained

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp yellow mustard

2 tbsp maple syrup

Garlic Powder

Crushed chipotle

Oregano

Black pepper

Preheat oven at 325.  I used an 8x8 foil pan since who wants extra dishes on a holiday.  Pour the drained beans into the pan and mix in everything else.  The chipotles are such smokey goodness that you won't even miss the bacon.  I do not find them to be too hot but only you know your heat tolerance level. 

Bake at 325 for about an hour.  When it has thickened, has turned darker, and the edges are caramelized you will know it is done! It will also smell like bacon, no joke!

This recipe can easily be doubled.  You could add a tiny bit of cayenne pepper if you like it super spicy or a dash of Tabasco. That cayenne hits me hard so I did not put any in this tiny pan of beans.

Weekly Breakfast Meal Prep

I am trying to kick my Frito habit... at least at breakfast time anyway.  My diet has expanded a bit to include more spices and fruits and condiments too!  I am loving garlic and tomatoes too.  Instead of egg bites, I just made a big egg casserole type thing and cut it into daily portions.  It is a great reason to use my gorgy purple Le Creuset and way easier clean up than muffin tins!

2 tsp coconut oil

10 oz steam-in-bag frozen broccoli, steamed

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes or fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 gloves garlic (sliced, pressed, minced)

Salt

Pepper

Oregano

Red pepper flakes

15 eggs

Yellow Mustard

Preheat oven to 350 and grease your casserole, mine is 6.5x11,  or a 13x9 pan.  

Heat coconut oil in a frying pan.  Add the garlic to warm it and release its aromatic goodness.  Add the pre-steamed broccoli, the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes.  I don't put amounts on the spices since it is such a personal thing.  I will warn that the red pepper flakes are spicy though so I only use like 5 flakes total.  Cook, uncovered, on medium heat until broccoli is tender and most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Set veggie mixture aside to cool completely.

Whisk well all of the eggs in a large bowl, adding a bit of salt and pepper.  I love squeezing in some yellow mustard here too (365 brand is super zippy).  

Add the cooked and cooled vegetables to the beaten eggs and mix well.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 40 minutes for the 6.5x11 casserole dish or 25 for the 13x9 pan.  Inserting a knife in the center should come out clean when it is done.

Cool in pan and cut into squares.  You can line these up on a sheet pan to freeze individually and then pack up and store in the freezer, picking a square or two out as you want them.  I just eat it throughout the week and don't bother freezing it.