Jiffy Notsospiffy Cornbread... Not For This Southern Girl

Recently one of my daughters caught Giada, the Everyday Italian, doting on her cornbread. When the camera panned out, Jiffy Mix and a pyrex dish were exposed as her supporting cast. Oops. Not cool if you are a country girl like me. My husband's mother was my teacher on the cornbread conundrum. I am now addicted to my own cornbread... or hers. My sweetest cornbread memory to date was asking my own mother to borrow her tiny skillet when she was very ill with stage 4 colon cancer. She was glad for me to borrow it. Then I spent the next 2 years taking a perfect-size corncake to her and my dad before burying both of them. It was a thrill for me to be able to serve them in their last years with something so delicious. Only requiring 4 ingredients and one critical tool, you can bake cornbread like a pro and way better than the Food Network. It begins with an iron skillet which you can purchase at Wal-Mart. You also need a very hot oven - 450 degrees.

Nanny’s Cornbread

Iron skillet required! Heat oven to 450 and coat the bottom of your skillet with oil, not too thin but not too thick with oil... Put skillet in preheating oven. Skillet will need to heat at least 15 min. or so depending on the efficiency of your oven. The sign is if you can smell the oil and see a bit of smoke coming off the pan, the oil is good and hot. This is critical to "scald" the batter. While skillet is heating, mix together equal parts of self-rising cornmeal mix (I like Martha White) and buttermilk with one egg. Breakdown for varying skillets as follows:
baby skillet (5") 2/3 cup each s.r.cornmeal mix & buttermilk with 1 egg
med. skillet (7") 1.5 cup each s.r.cornmeal mix & buttermilk with 1 egg
lg. skillet (9") 3 cups each s.r.cornmeal mix & buttermilk with 3 eggs

When you think oil in skillet is very hot, carefully pour oil into mixed batter, whisk quickly, pour batter back into very hot skillet, then return quickly to 450 oven. Bake time for baby skillet about 15 min., medium skillet about 22, large skillet about 27 minutes. When done, flip out cornbread onto cooling rack or serving platter immediately to keep crust crispy. I can smell it now!!!        

                                                          

It's A Freezer Thing

Some people call me a foodie. That would be true. And since such a characteristic is often inherited, you should know that my mother was a foodie, too. She could put a meal together for a family-in-need in short order without needing a thing from the grocery. She managed her home well, especially with regard to a freezer. Therefore, since my early married days I have had an extra freezer and later, an extra refrigerator. And my married daughters have it in their DNA, too. The first-born has had a compact freezer since the birth of her first child. It helped her store breastmilk, and 3 children later, it has been helpful with all that it takes to feed a growing family. The other married daughter is preparing to buy locally raised beef and now needs a little extra space. She didn't really have room for a full-size freezer and has been using her college dorm compact frig. for overflow frig items. So, I had an idea. Instead of adding a 2nd compact freezer to our fleet of freezers, I suggested a search for a used larger one for the older daughter and a handing-down of the compact freezer to younger daughter. This tickled both girls. This gesture was going to involve Craig's List and my master craftsman husband. Craig's List had a good price on the one freezer and with my brilliant mind and my VERY brilliant husband's abilities, we created a unit for the compact frig and freezer to stack for the other daughter. Did I mention that the larger freezer was substantially less expensive than a new compact freezer? Now both girls are ready for their organic, locally raised beef and all sorts of goodies from the Farmer's Market. Some people probably think we are Mormon's preparing for winter. Nope... just foodies.

Deer Friend,

      I know you enjoy my yard, but I work very hard to make it look nice. Therefore, I will continue to treat my landscaping with a spray you find offensive. I can tell by the way you have left my hydrangeas, liriope, and hostas alone that you are not a fan of the Deer Off spray from Lowe's. On a recent trip to Cheekwood with the grands, I noticed a very acrid odor following the gardener with the 5-gallon spray tank. I followed him to inquire if he was spraying for your kind. The gardener confirmed that he was with a product called Liquid Fence smelling exactly like what I use. He, too, has found that it is not an appealing fragrance to you. We chatted briefly while the grands were enthrolled by the magical trains and compared notes that spraying every couple of weeks keeps you and your peeps at bay. If my son had his way with my property, a gentle arrow from a bow would probably find its way into your heart. Since I value good neighbor relations, I have thrown my son's salt lick into the trash. But be forewarned: he has a night-vision camera and he is watching for you.

Very sincerely,

Your Dear Friend 

My New Neighbor Nordstrom

When Tiffany's arrived in Nashville a few years ago the glossy, turquoise-colored boxes were not really my thing. Not that I don't love diamonds, but I have another friend that I trust with that department. However, since the announcement several years ago that Nordstrom was moving in, I began to salivate. I have been a Nordstrom groupie for more than two decades because my husband can get dress shoes at good prices, and he wears a petite size 14 - very hard to find. So every time we would travel to large cities, Nordstrom always was on our list. It did not take long for me to venture outside the world of men's shoes to areas of even more interest: world-class fragrances, New York fashion, knowledgable staff, and shoes.for.me.sigh.

To celebrate my forever girlfriend's birthday, we attended the pre-opening private Gala. Since our friendship goes all the way back to sixth grade, it was a most fitting occasion because we used to run around Green Hills Village together during the days of Cross Keys Restaurant, Family Booterie, and Petway-Reavis. The new Nordstrom store is, of course, beautifully decorated and Nashville has welcomed it like royalty. From the first canapé to the incredible dessert shooters - mojito and vodka raspberry - the gala was a "happenin." There was such a festive atmosphere that night... it was like being a child at Disney World! When we entered the playground, we were given elegant black satin drawstring bags with empty vials for sample gathering. Waiters greeted us with trays of champagne and vodka cocktails, so we were at once easy prey for the astute cosmetic pros. Off we were swooped to nice chairs with an array of brushes, tinctures, and fluffing. While crowds gathered at the buffet tables, we were much more drawn to the ambiance. Trying to take in every detail we could, it became clear to me that I would have to return... and soon.

And the people watching was even more interesting. Some arrived in limousines, some with girly groups like the SexInTheCity types, and some ladies just glad to be out donning dresses from their last child's wedding. We were both amazed at the large number of men attending the gala... my eye doctor was at the bar and offered to buy me a drink - ha. Big spender. Then there were the flown-in professional models. They paraded in to their risers, struck a pose, stayed there for 20 minutes or so, then on queue they paraded out, changed outfits, and marched back in to their spots. One designer at a time, the couture was simply over the top. The models all looked like they had stepped out of Vogue magazine. I could have been content to sit and watch just this all night, but there was so much more. The rabbit vest, the fabulous faux pashmina my friend bought, the attendant in the restroom to brush off your lent while you washed your hands. the glistening jewelry, the complimentary umbrellas to help us out to the downpour... so much fun bottled into one night that I simply HAD to return two days later for the grand opening.

The grand opening began with a teaser: free makeover extravaganza in the mall corridor two hours before the store opened. It was there that I met a new MAC friend, Marissa Christina. Before you say, "That could not be her name," I assure you that was. The very sound of it evokes memories of the sweater I had with the Dickens village all the way around my hips (and matching skirt). Then there was the M&M sweater my former boss had who was teaching 6th grade at the time. She was so clever that she awarded students with M&Ms on the day she wore the sweater. Another friend had enough Marissa Christina Christmas sweaters for every day of the December school calendar. My new friend, Marissa, gave me a number of new tips to try with MAC. Then into the store and the general public... still excitement and spending... by far it appeared to me that the most popular department besides the cosmetic counter was the ladies shoes. When I heard on the loudspeaker, "Now serving guest # whatever," it was a throwback to the day when Baskin-Robbins moved into West Meade. Take a number... oh, what fun... and so much more than ice cream. Pandemonium might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it was thrilling to witness people having fun shopping in a new place.

 Then there was the trip back to the ladies' room. I had not noticed the night of the Gala a feature completely new to any public restroom I have ever used: right at the exit door a paper dispenser for your hands to cover the nasty door handle AND a wastebasket directly below to deposit the tissue. Green Hills Mall ladies' rooms could take a hint from their newest tenant. Since their restrooms have NO paper except for toilet tissue, it is virtually impossible to keep your hands clean when you use those facilities.

Nordstrom has raised the bar... even for Green Hills. Welcome, New Neighbor.

The Honey Cure Part 2

If you have been wondering where I have been, let's just say technical difficulties. Thankfully, I have a young friend who comes to my rescue when I get in trouble. Additionally, I have had a yard project that has had me preoccupied, which, of course, means increased exposure to the pollens outside. Still wondering about the honey, I did have a bit of allergy come on this weekend but now have a new something to share with you that has helped. It is a Sinus Rinse manufactured by NeilMed. Some people prefer a "Nety Pot" by the same manufacturer but the squeeze bottle appealed more to me. Available at Wal-Mart and currently having a $2.50 rebate on the box, the sinus rinse is easy to administer and after 3 rinses over less than 24 hours, I am back to near normal. I have been surprised at how many people are already into this sinus rinsing thing. How can I be so out of it? Oh well, better late than never. I am still not returning to the daily allegra, trying to beat it with the honey and the sinus rinse. I am getting my armaments in line for the spring battle.

The Honey Cure

Allergy sufferers take note: honey could be what you are missing. I began a honey regimen 2 months ago, thanks to the recommendation of a cookfriend whose husband suffered terribly with allergies. So far even though the ragweed and grass allergy count remains very high here in Nashville, I am without symptoms and am not taking my prescription medicine. The dosage of 1 tablespoon/day was going to be a problem, I thought, but I decided to put it in my coffee so that I would not miss. For the first month of honey therapy I continued my allergy medicine until I got the honey into my system. The catch is that it must be LOCAL honey. The bees have to be pollinating your own problematic pollen. I buy a 4# jar of wildflower honey at the Farmer's Market, and it runs about $17.00. It is from Goodlettsville. I am still on the original jar! There is much research out there about many other benefits of consuming local honey daily... everything from arthritis to heart issues. Do your own internet research if you need more information. The real test for me will be next spring when I am affected worse than fall allergies. I will be prepared, though, because I am in the honey habit. Stay tuned... a follow-up blog guaranteed.