Lighten Up Corn Pudding

All I know is it is hard to photograph corn pudding and make it look appetizing! 

I pretty much love all things corn. Corn is to veggies as shrimp is to fish, you can broil it, boil it, sauté it, soufflé it...you get my drift. This past weekend we were cooking up a big fat brisket and for some reason I always want to partner a corn dish with brisket, whether it be corn bread or on the cob. I decided to do a variation of a corn pudding based on the crazy ingredients I had in the fridge. Now, you have to remember that things like full on cream or butter are big splurges these days so I didn't have my normal ingredient on hand...and half way through I realized that I didn't have any eggs so I had to make due. This variation is super light in calories and crazy easy to prepare and I didn't have to feel super guilty about it afterwards. Because it is cooked at a high temperature, the top becomes lightly brown and the corn on the surface has a great chewy texture, similar to pan fried corn. 

Give it a whirl and see you if feel like you are missing out. 

Lightened Up Corn Pudding

1 can- whole corn drained

1 small can creamed corn

1 cup plain non-fat greet yogurt

2 Tbsp Half and Half or milk

2 Tbsp butter melted

2 Tbsp self-rising corn meal

1 Egg or 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl. Pour into a small greased baking dish. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until top is lightly brown and center is lightly set. 

Enjoy Y'all!  

Worth the Wait- White Cheddar Pesto Garlic Bread

I hope you guys had a splendid Valentine's day! We spent the evening with the muffins sorting through their treats and sweets from their school love bags and made a yummy dinner of "pasghetti" and meatballs. I shared with you all earlier that I am trying to stick to more lean and clean foods this year (whoever thought that was a good idea was crazy!!) so this night was a total splurge for me in all areas. I decided that if we were going to do things then we were going to do them right. We used fresh wide egg noodles to accompany our fresh Yellow Rose Cafe: Out with the old - Homemade Meatballs. I decided to make up for lost times by making a sinful garlic bread. But, not just any garlic bread, a white cheddar and pesto garlic bread. This was SO what I wanted after my month long break from carbs! The thick fluffy fresh ciabatta bread with is deep cavernous pockets was the perfect vessel for the creamy and rich slather of butter and love and cheese. It was the ultimate treat to share with my Valentines. We might just have to celebrate everyday!

White Cheddar Pesto Garlic Bread

Let me begin by saying there are just a few ingredients in this dish so make them count! I am not a snob about food but for this kind of splurge you really want to make it good...and it will be if you follow my lead.

1 loaf of fresh ciabatta bread, sliced in half lengthwise
4 Tbsp room temp butter
1 clove of garlic chopped, then smashed with the back of a knife with a pinch of salt until it becomes a paste
4 Tbsp good mayo- we use Dukes
4 Tbsp store bought pesto (you can use homemade if you have some)
1/2 cup freshly grated white cheddar- luckily for you it is rare to find white cheddar pre-shredded so you won't be tempted to skip this step. Freshly grated is ALWAYS the way to go!
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl combine the butter, garlic, mayo and pesto. Spread it evenly on both sides of the bread. If you have a large loaf then add a bit more butter and pesto to make it go further.
Top the bread with the cheeses then give it a nice sprinkle of fresh black pepper.

Place it on a cookie sheet or pizza stone and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Then, turn your oven to broil and let it sit for about 30 seconds until the edges start to get brown and crunchy.
Cut into large wedges and gobble up.

Enjoy Y'all!