Simply a Good Dinner

Last night I wanted a very simple and easy dinner. I had also received a bag of cornmeal in my CSA box this week and I was curious to try it. I have to admit I am somewhat of a cornmeal connoisseur. If it's organic and stone/water ground I will buy it and try it. Hi my name is Tina and I'm a cornmeal addict. So I had gotten some cornmeal and I always have some chicken on hand because according to the nutritionist it is the great and easy source of high protein that is low in fat(blah blah blah). I also had it in my head to make a ratatouille of sorts. So here is the dinner that ended up one my plate: chicken breast, corn bread, ratatouille(ish). Now I have a moral dilemma. Do I share my beloved corn bread recipe on the internets or be greedy and hold it close. I'm not sure where this recipe came from originally, but it's the one my Mama makes and it is delish. A double batch of it goes in our Thanksgiving dressing. It is so good. Now if you are one of those yankees who likes their corn bread full of sugar then you can stop reading now because this ain't it! This is a traditional savory, rustic bread. If you want a little something sweet you can do what I do and slather some (more) butter on it and douse it in sorghum syrup. If you don't know what sorghum syrup is I'm gonna go ahead and say you are missing out. Google it and buy some (mine comes from the Buckners in Junction City, Ga - also a pretty good source for cornmeal and grits although I have to admit I have not bought from them in a couple years while I have been on my corn meal holy grail search). Ok on to the recipes. I am going to give out the corn bread recipe, but for the record the ratatouille was really good too and you should also make that.

Ps. Today for lunch I'm going to eat the left over ratatouille on top of some quinoa with a little crumbled goat cheese (also from the CSA www.moorefarmsandfriends.com)

Corn Bread

pre-heat oven to 350

1 Cup white or yellow, organic, stone ground cornmeal

1/4 all purpose white flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

mix dry ingredients in a bowl

in a wet measure cup:

1/3 cup sour cream

add in enough 1/2 and 1/2 or whole milk to bring up to 1 cup (i don't say 2/3 cup bc when you are basically putting spoonfuls of sour cream in a wet measure it's just easier this way)

beat 1 egg into the milk and sour cream mixture

add wet into dry

in an 8 inch cast iron skillet melt 4 tablespoons of butter

pour half of melted butter into batter and mix in well and leave other half of butter in skillet

pour batter into skillet and bake in 350 oven until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Ratatouille (sort of)

heat a non-stick skillet over med high

add 2 tablespoons olive oil

saute: 1/2 sweet onion, 1 small zucchini, half a small eggplant, and 1 fresh tomato all chopped

add one clove of garlic minced before tomato goes in

season with Italian seasoning or herbs de provence, salt and pepper

Like I said you could add some fresh goat cheese, some mozzarella like in my pasta recipe, top it with fresh herbs, you could eat it with an egg on top or with some quinoa. Endless possibilities I tell you. Go forth and cook!