Corny Cornbread

It's been raining for the past week. Great for the garden, not great for feeling like summer's on it's way!

And that is my only explanation for why we had chili and cornbread on a May evening. 

Usually I'd reserve a meal like this for a cold winter night.

There really is something to be said for a nice hunk of cornbread. I like mine with corn chunks in it.

This doesn't mimic or taste much like the Jiffy kind in the little blue boxes, so don't make it if you're looking for that. Do make it if you want something delicious.

It's lighter and more cake-like. Less yellow, less dense, and full of nutrients.

Perfect for a May evening. Perfect with Cocoa Chili. If you haven't tried adding cocoa powder to your chili, DO IT. It turns the chili into something smooth and fancy.

And then when you dip in the cornbread, it becomes the ultimate rainy day meal, no matter what the season is!

Corny Cornbread
Serves 9

1 c cornmeal
2/3 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c ground flax seed
1 tsp salt
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 c corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 egg
4 T sour cream
2 T honey
3/4 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other milk)

Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray an 8"x8" pan with non-stick spray. Stir together dry ingredients. Add corn and mix. In a separate bowl, combine egg, sour cream, honey and milk. Add wet mixture to corn mixture. Let set for 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick. Spread in pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. It may take longer if using frozen corn, but keep a close eye on it after 40 minutes are up.


Moist Cornbread

Lemon Pepper Asparagus Pasta

I was inspired by these noodles from Trader Joe's. And the fresh asparagus my friend Jen from Jill Spills It All got for me at Roots Market. I just love asparagus season!

It looked so yummy that I had to try it fresh. My dad tasted this dish and didn't believe that I hadn't cooked the asparagus first. So yummy!

It really didn't need to be cooked. Now, I HATE mushy veggies. Especially things like asparagus, broccoli and green beans. So if you like mushy veggies, please cook your asparagus to oblivion. But I do not recommend it. You'll loose the bold flavor and the crisp crunch that meshes so well with the soft noodles.

Lemon Pepper Asparagus Pasta
Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish.


1 8-oz. package lemon pepper papperadelle
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large bunch asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 T olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While it cooks, mix together onion, garlic, asparagus, olive oil, and lemon juice. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Add pasta and water to veggie mixture. Toss to combine. Add lemon pepper seasoning and sea salt. Stir and serve immediately.

First Note: This holds up well in the refrigerator and can be made ahead and served cold as a side salad.

Second note: A sprinkle of parmesan cheese would probably be tasty!

Lemon Parmesan Vinaigrette

Biergarten

For a combination Mother's & Father's Day celebration, we took my parents to the Biergarten. There were 13 breweries and we received a 12oz. glass to use for the tastings.

They were calling for rain, so we had a gray day, but the tulips were in bloom and everything was lush and green.

As you can see, we got off to a great start! The stands were spaced fairly close together, so we started off with a bang at the first two. The second stand had one of my favorites of the day, Strawberry Wheat from Lancaster Brewing Co.

After that, we stopped for soft pretzels at one of the food booths. The booths were all from local shops or restaurants. I favored the lighter beers but the rest of my family liked the dark varieties.

One of my favorites was actually rather dark, a Sam Adams. I had to try it since chocolate was in the name! It tasted like Dr. Pepper Cherry Vanilla with a dark beer twist. Once I said that, the Bup wouldn't even try it. He was never a fan.

Another big hit was the Appalachian Brewing Company's Trail Blaze Organic Brown Ale. It was a little too dark and bitter for me, but I love that a local brewery has an organic option!

Beer tastings definitely give you larger samples than wine tastings do! We were ready for a nap after this. If you ever get the chance, go to a beer tasting. I'm learning slowly about beer and it was a great experience to broaden my beer thirst!