Vanilla Cornbread

I may not be from the South, but I sure do love cornbread.

Especially when there is a flavored butter, like honey butter, to slather on it.

I didn't need the honey butter for this recipe though.  The vanilla added nice flavor and I think made the cornbread even more of a comfort food.

I loved how the hot cast iron skillet makes the outside crispy and the sugar on top makes the bread even sweeter.

Y'all should give it a try:

Ingredients
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teapoons pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean
1 egg
2 teaspoons coarse sugar (turbinado or sugar cane)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 15 minutes or more.  Place the cast iron skillet (I used two 6-inch skillets) in the oven to get hot - this will create a crispier crust to the cornbread.  Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the beans out.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and sugar.  After the cornmeal mixture has stood at least 15 minutes, add egg, butter, vanilla extract and vanilla bean to the cornmeal mixture and stir until very well blended.  Pour the cornmeal mixture into the flour mixture and stir to combine.  A few lumps are fine, just be careful not to overmix.

Carefully remove the hot skillets and grease.  Pour the batter into it and sprinkle with the sugar.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (depends on the type baking dish you use), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pairs well with tea too.

Sour Watermelon Martini

Maybe you have noticed, maybe you haven't. 

I have posted 4 recipes so far, including this one.

2 of the 4 are for cocktails.

 

Oops - maybe I should have some variety.

I don't feel that bad about it though... they taste good!

Sour Watermelon Martini 
Serves 4

Simple Syrup Ingredients

1 1/2 Cup water
3/4 Cup sugar

Watermelon Vodka Ingredients

12 oz watermelon, pureed

6 oz vodka

Directions

Make the simple syrup so it has time to cool (bring 1 1/2 Cup water + 3/4 Cup sugar to a boil - make sure all sugar dissolves).  To make the watermelon vodka, blend watermelon until you have 12 oz, then add the 6 oz of vodka.  It will separate over time so make sure to give it a quick blend right before you use it.

Sour Watermelon Martini Ingredients

3 oz simple syrup

3/4 oz lime juice
3/4 oz lemon juice

4 oz watermelon vodka

Superfine sugar, optional

Watermelon slice, optional

Directions

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, top with ice and shake vigorously. Optional garnishes: Pour superfine sugar onto a plate.  Use a lime or lemon wedge to wet the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip into sugar.  Strain in watermelon mixture and garnish with the watermelon wedge.  Pretty!

Yum!

Blueberry Buttermilk Crumb Cake

The first time I bought buttermilk, Joe was really excited.  Butter & milk.  All he needed was a plateful of cookies and he would be in heaven.

 And then he took a sip and with a look of shock and disgust, rushed over to the sink to spit it out.

It was repulsive. What a let down!

It tastes a lot better when it's mixed with other things though (e.g., in this blueberry crumb cake)

 

A little tangy and not overly sweet so you don't feel guilty eating it for breakfast.

 But don't take my word for it.  Whip this up for yourself:

Cake Ingredients

1/4 Cup butter, softened
1/2 Cup sugar
2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 Cups blueberries

Crumble Ingredients
1/3 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons butter, cold

Instructions
Preheat over to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round baking dish.
In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on high for 3-4 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.  After the butter and sugar is nice and light, reduce the speed and add the egg, then add the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon zest.  Slowly add the flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and pour into the prepared pan.  Spread with spatula to have an even top.
For crumb topping, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Then cut in the cold butter and mix until crumbly.  Top the batter with crumble mixture and make 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Weekend Rambles

Twins Days "Double Take" Parade

 Walk with Suzi at the Ledges

 

World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational Golf Tournament

Pictures from: pgatour.com.  No cameras allowed by spectators at the event!

Holly and Julie at Twins Days

Holly and Julie came all the way from Washington, D.C. to participate in Twins Days.  Here they are walking in the "Double Take" parade!

Cafe Lights Project

Look what we did!

 

Maybe it's more like "look what Joe did..."

But it was my idea and I did a lot of behind the scenes stuff.

Tools and screws don't just hand themselves to him.  That's right, I hand them to him! You're welcome, Joe.

 Plus, I screwed all the light bulbs in.  That is just under 100 bulbs.

It was a good forearm workout.

 

Anyway, we love the way they look!

 

It will make for some nice summer nights out on the deck.

Who's coming over?

Blueberry Thyme Cocktail

I will be making these again soon. 

 It's really all about the simple syrup which I have found really is simple to make. 

Sugar + Water + Heat = Syrup.

 I mixed this blueberry thyme simple syrup with vodka and lemon juice.  It took some of the dark blue color away but tasted like blueberry lemonade.

 Delicious!  So delicious that I forgot to take a picture of the finished product until I had finished about a third of it.

Blueberry Thyme Simple Syrup

1 Cup water

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup blueberries

1-2 tsp thyme leaves

Note: If you want a sweeter syrup, use a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar.

Bring all the above ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.  Allow to simmer for 10 minutes - the blueberries should burst and release flavor/color.  Set syrup aside and let it cool to room temperature.

Blueberry Thyme Cocktail

4 oz blueberry thyme simple syrup

3 oz vodka

2 oz lemon juice

Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, top with ice, and shake like crazy.  Fill 2 chilled martini glasses and enjoy.

Great after a hard day of work.  Men, and it appears even dogs, will want one.