Martha White National Cornbread Festival and Cook-Off

February 26, 2009

Hello everyone, sorry that I am so far behind in my Blog. I will bring you up to date from last year, but first I want to tell you about the Martha White National Cornbread Festival and Cook-Off and how you can still enter your favorite recipe. First and foremost, if you want to enter, you need to do so by the end of this month. Here is the link that explains how to enter the contest: http://www.marthawhite.com/promotions_news/media_2009/cornbread_cookoff09.aspx
Don't forget, your recipe has to be in by the 28th of this month.
The actual festival runs the week of April 25th and the cook-off itself is on Saturday the 25th in South Pittsburgh, TN. If your recipe is picked in the top 10, you will cook on site and the judges will decide the winner Saturday afternoon. The first prize is $5,000 cash plus a 5 Star Stainless Steel gas range (worth roughly about $2,000). Good Luck!!!
On today's Morning program I was joined by Martha White's Linda Carman. She is the co-ordinator of the contest and is over the Test Kitchen where the recipes are tested and picked.
We featured two recipes from last year's competition, in fact the winner and runner-up recipes from last year. Here are the recipes that we fixed this morning. By the way, the crew inhaled them after the program!!!

Ancho Shrimp on Smoked Gouda Corncakes
First Prize WinnerLori Stephens – Hendersonville, TN
Corncakes
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 egg1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/3 cups Martha White® Yellow Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
1 1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda
1/2 cup Crisco® Canola Oil

Ancho Shrimp
4 tablespoons butter
2 or 3 large dried ancho peppers* (split in half and seeds removed)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lb. fresh uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup canned petite diced tomatoes, undrained
Sliced green onions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet on medium. Add 1/3 cup green onions; cook 1 minute. Add corn; cook 2 minutes. In large mixing bowl, whisk egg. Add buttermilk, sour cream, and corn meal; whisk until smooth. Stir in cheese, corn and onions. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. Add 4 tablespoons oil; heat on medium high. Spoon batter into oil by 1/4 cupfuls. Cook until golden brown; turn and brown on other side. Cook in batches adding oil as needed. Drain on paper towels. Wipe out skillet.
Melt 4 tablespoons butter in skillet on medium high. Add ancho peppers; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add shrimp; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until shrimp turns pink, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes; cook just until hot. Remove ancho peppers.
Place 2 corncakes slightly overlapping on serving plate. Top with shrimp and sauce; sprinkle with green onions.
6 servings

*Ancho chile peppers, a dried red heart-shaped pod, have a mild earthy flavor. If unavailable, add 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper (available in the spice section) with the salt and pepper.


Zesty Italian Sausage Skillet with Sundried Tomato Cornbread Crust
Second Prize Winner
Teresa Ralston – New Albany, OH

Filling
2 tablespoons Crisco® Olive Oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 pound Italian pork sausage
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Crust
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Martha White® Cotton Country™ Cornbread Mix
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Toppings
6 cups baby lettuce greens
Balsamic salad dressing, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat oil in a 10-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet on medium high. Add onion; cook until softened. Add sausage; cook breaking up with a fork until done. Drain, if needed. Add cream; simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sage and red pepper. Simmer on medium about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
In a medium bowl, combine cornbread crust ingredients; mix well. Spread over top of sausage mixture in skillet. Bake at 400° F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.
In a bowl, toss greens and dressing. Cut cornbread crust into 6 wedges. Place each with sausage filling on plate; top with 1/6th of the greens. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola and fresh pepper.
6 servings

The Pie Shop

Thursday, November 13, 2008



Old fashioned pies and desserts! Wow, talk about being in food heaven, that's where we were today. We visited with Melba Nance as she shared some wonderful recipes on old fashioned baking. Melba works out of the Madison County Farmers Market on Cook Ave. You can find her there or you can call her @ (256) 684-1355. Her specialties are home-made pies, cakes and other desserts that are made from scratch. The word "Good" does not do justice to her creations. Melba has agreed to share a few of her recipes with us, but remember, it's not just the recipe that makes food good, but the way you prepare it that counts.

The Pie Shop
Old Fashioned Pies & Desserts
Madison County Farmers Market
1022 Cook Ave.
Huntsville, AL 35801
Melba Boles Nance ( 256) 684-1355

Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie
(family recipe,)
2 to 4 large sweet potatoes (approximately 1 ½ pounds)
2 to 3 eggs
6 to 8 ounces evaporated milk
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup butter melted
1 Tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Boil, peel and mash potatoes. After mashing, add butter , milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and eggs. Stir well or pour into mixer and mix well until all ingredients are blended. Pour into 9” pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Pie should be lightly brown on top and the edges should be a golden brown.



Classic Pecan Pie
(reprinted from Karosyrup.com)

1 Cup Karo corn syrup (dark)
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 Tbs. Butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups pecan halves (chopping pecans is optional)
1 unbaked pie 9” pie shell

In large bowl, stir the first 5 ingredients until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool and serve.


Cream Cheese Pound Cake
3 cups sugar
3 sticks of butter
1 8oz. pack cream cheese
6 eggs
3 cups (sifted) cake flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Using a flat beater, cream butter, sugar and cream cheese, until light and fluffy. Add flour and eggs alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Add vanilla and give a final stir with mixer.
Scrape bottom of bowl and pour mixture into greased10 inch tube pan.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until tested done with toothpick.


Basic Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 stick butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup water

Mix dry ingredients. Mix shortening & butter together, then chill for at least 1 hour to form a “fat patty.” Cut the “fat patty” into the dry ingredients with pastry cutter. Add water and work until the dough forms.

Makes 2 or 3 flakey pie crusts.

I tried all three of these great recipes and they are just that, GREAT!

Jack Daniels 20th Anniversary World Championship Bar B Que Cookoff

October 27th, 2008

It's in the books, the 20th anniversary of the Jack Daniels World Championship Bar B Que Cookoff. This was my 15th year to judge and it amazes me that the competition gets better each year. I really look forward to being at "The Jack" for several reasons. Of course, the obvious is the bar b que, but it is also great to see a lot of folks that I only get to see a couple times a year. The KCBS group is made up of a bunch of really good folks and I am proud to be a member of the organization. Not only that, but the people that come out to enjoy the events of the day are so much fun. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate all the kind words, the picture taking and the comraderie that we share. It is my pleasure to see you all and spend time talking with you. Thank you so much!

Here's some pictures from "The Jack" and also the list of winners from the competition.

Grand Champion: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

Reserve Grand Champion: 4 Mile Smokin' Crew - Pleasant Hill, Iowa

Pork Ribs: Carcass Cookers - Pueblo, Colorado

Pork Shoulder: Butcher BBQ - Chandler, Oklahoma

Beef Brisket: Bubba & Jeff's BBQ - Lees Summit, Missouri

Chicken: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

Chef's Choice: I Que - Hopkinton, Massachusetts

Homecookin' From The Homeland: World Barbeque Team - Switzerland

Sauce: Pellet Envy - Leadwood, Kansas

Dessert: 4 Legs Up BBQ - Great Bend, Kansas

A record 66 champion teams from the U.S. and 18 teams from countries across the world including, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom, fought for this year's title.
The highest-placing international team of the day was Barbeque Symphony from Estonia that placed nineteenth overall.
To compete at "The Jack," domestic teams must have in the past year won a state championship with 25 teams or a competition of 50 teams, or have won an event considered an automatic to the event like the American Royal, Memphis in May or Houston World Championship Bar-B-Que.

If you have never attended the cookoff, you owe yourself this one. It is great fun and there are tons of things to do for the whole family.

Phantoms of The Depot Dinner

October 13, 2008

Happy Columbus Day! I feel like I should be singing the Ernest Tubbs' song "Back in The Saddle Again." It has been 9 days since we were on the air. It is great to be back, although I had a great vacation. Jacque and I went to Gettysburg, PA. Wow, what an awesome place to visit and experience!! We also visited Lexington, VA and also Appomattox Court House. Once I get my photos downloaded, I will put some on the blog along with more about our trip.
Today, we were at the Historic Huntsville Depot to highlight a neat fundraiser that is coming up. It is called "Dinner With The Phantoms of The Depot." It will feature a sit-down dinner and then a ghostly tour of the Depot led by local historian and author, Jacque Reeves. The event is set for October 28th and 29th and starts each night at 6:30. Seating is limited to just 30 people a night and reservations are being taken right now. You can call 564-8100 for reservations or more information. The cost of the tickets are $30 per person and includes the dinner and the tour. Once again, it is a fundraiser for the Depot and promises to be very entertaining.

October Means German Food at Its Best

October 2, 2008

We kicked off October by featuring a really great German restaurant, Hildegard's German Cuisine. I have to tell you, Jacque and I love to eat there! The food is home-made, from scratch, and outstanding. The bread is freshly made each day and the desserts are out of this world. Hildegard and her daughter Sabine seem to try and outdo each other when it comes to cooking and the real winners are the folks who eat there. Here's the recipe we used for hot red cabbage, it is simple but sooooo good.:

HOT RED CABBAGE

1 medium-to-large red cabbage (shredded thinly)
7 oz. bacon (chopped)
1 medium onion
8 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup veg. oil
1/2 tsp. pepper (black)
1 tsp salt
1 cup vinegar (white)
3/4 cup sugar

Clean and peel onion
attach bay leaves to onion by sticking cloves through them into onion
heat oil in a large pot and add bacon, cook until crisp
add cabbage and cook for about 7-10 minutes
add vinegar, seasonings and salt
cook for about 30 minutes.

The hot red cabbage can be used as a side with almost anything and also can be used as a vegetarian dish by leaving out the bacon and substituting portabello mushrooms.

Hildegard's desserts are a stand alone delicacy and are also home-made from scratch. In fact, Hildegard specializes in Wedding Cakes and offers catering, too.

Hildegard's is located at 2357 Whitesburg Dr. (at the corner of Whitesburg and Bob Wallace)
(256) 512-9776

Cafe Michael Recipes

September 22, 2008

I hope you enjoyed our segments from Cafe Michael today. Chef Michael and his staff do a great job with their meals and also with the cooking classes. What a great idea to have classes for children! The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and also offers private parties. As promised, I have included the recipes that we featured today and also the dip that we made during the program. Here is the recipe for the dip...it's real easy.

Corn Relish Dip

1/2 jar of corn relish (can be found in Cafe Michael kitchen shop)
1 to 2 cups of sour cream (or to taste)
Mix together well and serve with Pita chips, potato chips or Fritos




CAFÉ MICHAEL SALMON DINNER

Sauteed Blackened Salmon
Israeli Couscous
Vegetables Medley

-Cut salmon filets into 6-8 ounce servings. Rub generously with blackened seasoning (or other seasoning mix you like). Place a small amount of oil in a saucepan and heat to very hot, then add salmon and cook on each side about 3 to 4 minutes, until center is done. Remove from heat.
-Make Israeli couscous according to the directions on the package (boiled in salted water about 10 minutes). When couscous is fully cooked, Place in a small saucepan with about 3 Tbs. white wine and salt and pepper and sauté just until hot through and wine is reduced. (Fresh Market is the only place we have found this couscous).
-Make a vegetable medley of onion, zucchini, cherry tomatoes and blanched green beans. Slice onion thin, slice zucchini, halve tomatoes and cut green beans to bite size (or use haricots verts, which are very small thin beans).
In a saucepan, heat about 2 Tbs. oil, add vegetables, toss until all vegetables are soft, season with salt and pepper.
Corn relish, sold at Michael’s kitchen shop, makes a good topping for blackened salmon.

CAFÉ MICHAEL
GRILLED SHRIMP WRAPPED IN BACON

Use large uncooked, tail on peeled and deveined shrimp. Make a slit lengthwise across the top of the shrimp and fill space with a small amount of fontina cheese. (You may also use asiago or jalapeno cheese). Wrap each shrimp in one half piece bacon and secure with toothpick.
Shrimp are best grilled, until bacon is cooked and browned. Shrimp can also be baked in the oven at 375 degrees until bacon is cooked. Serve with your favorite barbeque sauce for dipping.

For information on catering, kitchen shop items, and cooking classes, call:
MICHAEL GRIFFIN
Restaurant: 564-7007
Or you can ask for Cary Mason or Kathy Barnhart
CAFÉ MICHAEL is located between Monte Sano Mountain and Hampton Cove in the Interior Marketplace, 5732 Highway 431 S.

Scene Restaurant and Lounge-Monaco Pictures

September 11, 2008

First, I hope that everyone remembers the significance of today's date and what it means in the history of our nation. I hope and pray that we never have to deal with such a tragedy again.

Secondly, I hope you enjoyed this morning's show from Monaco Picture's Scene Restaurant and Lounge. What a neat place to enjoy a good meal and I do mean a good meal. Executive Chef Anthony Gutierrez has a menu that runs the gamut of foods, including sushi by Sou Chef Paul Visuthikosol. Can you say OUTSTANDING!!! Here are a couple of recipes from this morning's show for you.

Bananas Foster

1/4 cup (1/2) stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambe pan or skillet.
Place the pan over low heat on top of the stove and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves
Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections
soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.
For added flavor, toast slivered almonds in melted butter in a skillet, salt to taste and spoon over bananas.

Sexy Ban (Sushi)

Tuna -2 slices
Salmon-2 slices
Yellowtail-1 slice
Shrimp Tempura-2 pieces
Avocado-2 slices
Jicama-2 slices
Spicy Garlic Aioli-1oz.
Spicy Sesame Sauce-1oz.
Eel Sauce 1-oz.
Sesame Sauce-1oz.
Sliced carrot
White rice-1 cup

Cook white rice according to instructions on package. (Amount depends on how much sushi you are making.
Spread rice on seaweed wrap, place two shrimp tempura on rice along with jicama, roll into tube shape.
Alternate strips of fish and avocado and press into roll. Slice into serving sizes.
Mix Spicy Garlic Ailoi and Sesame Sauce together and Spicy Sesame Sauce and Eel Sauce
together or any variation of choice and serve with sushi.

Or you could just go to Scene Restaurant and Lounge and let them fix it all for you. By the way, Scene is this week's featured Real Deals coupon. You can purchase a coupon for $50 worth of food for $25. You can log in to whnt.com Friday morning and go to the Real Deals segment. The coupons go on sale at 8:30am. For more details go to the Real Deals section right now and check it out.