An online (log home) community for log home enthusiasts.

Food for Thought - Our Community Recipe Exchange

Who likes to eat? I guess the real question is, who doesn't? Whether it's a regional delicacy or a simple snack, we know our virtual log home neighbors have a ton of fantastic recipes to share. So here's your chance to set your inner Rachael Ray or Emeril Lagasse loose on the world.

To get this dinner party started, I offer up two of my family's favorites: Corn Pudding and Watermelon Salsa. Enjoy!

Corn Pudding
- submitted by Donna Peak
serves 6-8
Note: This is an easy side dish that perfectly complements roasted chicken or turkey, and will solicit "oohs and aahs come Thanksgiving.

2 cups of corn kernels
1 can creamed corn
1 8 oz container of French onion dip
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 8.5 oz. box of corn muffin mix
1/4 cup butter or margerine
1 jar sliced sweet pimientos
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a deep, 8-cup casserole dish with vegetable oil spray.

Mix corn kernels, creamed corn, onion dip, egg, muffin mix and butter into a large bowl. Fold in pimientos, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Scrape into casserole dish and bake at 350 for 90 minutes or until set and lightly golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

Watermelon Salsa
--submitted by Donna Peak
serves 8
This "salsa" is really more of a summer salad/side dish. It's a refreshing, unexpected contribution to a picnic and it can't get any easier - no cooking required.

4 cups chopped, seedless watermelon
1/3 c. red onion
1 Tbls. fresh, chopped cilantro
1-2 Tbls. fresh, chopped mint
1/4 balsamic vinegar
2 Tbls. lime juice
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and coat well with vinegar/lime juice. Chill before serving.

Tags: recipes, dessert, food, log home, main dish, rustic, side dish

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dudley on July 11, 2008 at 3:03pm: Yum! These sound like the perfect summer dishes. And for dessert, how about some lemon meringue pie?

Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
6 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup juice from 2-3 lemons
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 9-inch baked pie shell

Lemon Filling:
Whisk 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and salt together in a large
saucepan. Add egg yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in 1 1/2
cups water. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking more
frequently as mixture begins to thicken, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in zest,
then lemon juice, and finally butter. Bring mixture to a good simmer,
whisking constantly. Simmer one minute. Remove from heat, place plastic
wrap directly on surface of filling to keep hot and to prevent a skin from
forming.

Meringue Topping:
Mix 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a
simmer, whisking as mixture thickens. Once mixture starts to simmer and
turn translucent, remove from heat.
Combine cream of tartar and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat egg whites with vanilla
till frothy. Beat in sugar mixture, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until sugar is
incorporated and soft peaks form. Drop in warm cornstarch mixture, 1 Tbsp.
at a time and continue to beat meringue to stiff peaks.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Return saucepan with filling to very low heat
during last minute or so of beating meringue to ensure that filling is
hot. Immediately pour filling into pie shell and distribute meringue with
a rubber spatula evenly around edge of pie and then the center. Make sure
that it attaches to the pie shell to prevent shrinking. Use back of spoon
to create peaks all over the meringue. Bake until meringue is golden
brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room
temperature.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Anne on July 24, 2008 at 7:31pm: "Hey ya'll!" I have an inner Paula Deen. When it comes to "cabin food", I am regionally biased. She has three great recipes for breakfast dishes that work great when there is company. They are easy to make, in fact two of them are completely prepped the night before, and popped into the oven for a warm breakfast. If you visit foodnetwork.com and search "Ultimate Coffee Cake", "Hashbrown Quiche", and "Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup", you will find the recipes. They are fantastic. I love new recipes and can't wait to try the pie and the salsa! Thanks Dudley and Donna ~~ Anne; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Donna Peak on July 27, 2008 at 12:59pm: Well hello, Paula Jr. ;-)
Thanks for the tips. I love anything breakfast related, so these all sound fabulous. Let me know what you think of the Watermelon Salsa. It's a summer staple at my house.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sara Brown on July 27, 2008 at 3:47pm: It may only be August, but as a huge college football fan (Go Gators!), I'm already thinking ahead to fall tailgates—and the food that goes along with them!

This is the recipe for a delicious sausage dip. It's super easy and you can make huge batches of it ahead of time. Plus, you can serve it cold (after refrigeration) or hot (it's so good in a crock pot)—whatever works for you!

Hot Sausage Dip

1 pound ground pork sausage
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chili peppers, drained
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

Place the pork sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Once it's finished, drain sausage and stir in onions. Cook until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Mix in diced tomatoes with green chili peppers. Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to simmer approximately 15 minutes. Blend cream cheese and sour cream into the sausage mixture. Season to taste with crushed red pepper. Serve with tortilla or pita chips.

Enjoy!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Glenn V on November 5, 2008 at 8:55pm: I thought I'd share my mothers cake. Its the best cake I have ever eaten. Tastes better the longer it sets but never lasts very long. I hope all will enjoy this as much as I have.

Delicious Raw Apple Cake

4 cups apples
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons soda
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups flour
1 teasppon vanilla
1/2 cup salad oil
1 cup nuts --walnuts

Mix ingredients together in a greased floured 8 1/2 x 11 pan and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees

Icing

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 oz. cream cheese
milk-- mix in for consistancy
optional nuts sprinkled on top; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Donna Peak on November 5, 2008 at 9:37pm: I can't wait to make this! Perfect for the fall season. We kind of let the recipe exchange diw out a bit. Thanks, Glenn, for reviving it! I'm going to dig up some more goodies to share.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Denise on November 6, 2008 at 1:38pm: mmmm, these all look yummy. I entered a Chili contest on Halloween. I won third place for my entry, I was thrilled and shocked with the many entries! I have also posted this recipe and other recipes on my blog at www.VintageLogCabin.blogspot.com I'll come back here and post some of my Log Cabin Holiday Recipes too.

Deluxe Pizza Chili with extra Pepperoni

1 lb. of ground beef
1 lb. of italian sausage (sweet or hot)
2-16oz. cans of kidney beans, drained
2-15oz. cans of pizza sauce
2-14 1/2 oz. cans of Italian stewed tomatoes
2-8oz. cans of tomato sauce
3 cups of water
1-16oz. stick of pepperoni, sliced thickly
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper

Brown ground beef and Italian sausage in a large pan, drain. Put drained beef/Italian sausage into 6qt. Crock-pot with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 3 hours. Serve with shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese and garlic bread. Here are a few other things that can be added to your taste, fresh mushrooms, garlic, black or green olives.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Donna Peak on November 6, 2008 at 1:52pm: No wonder you won the contest! My family is going to love you for this.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by CJ from Va. on November 6, 2008 at 9:30pm: Hey Glenn, your receipe I can't hardly wait to try. For the flour amount, would I be using Self-Rising Flour or Plain Flour?
CJ from Virgnia; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Glenn V on November 7, 2008 at 8:40am: Hi CJ. Seems like just plain flour. Also I like black walnuts and for some they are too strong a flavor so you can use english walnuts instead. Usually use what ever apples I happen to have at the time. I forgot to list the disclamer at the bottom of the recipe.
Disclamer - I am not Emeril , BAM; and I am probably not quite a Chef Boy R Dee;(I didn't know you were suppose to heat the spaggetti -o's up before you ate them out of the can).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andrew Hanelly on November 6, 2008 at 3:09pm: OK, so this is straight from the bachelor kitchen, but I present to you:

Chicken in a Bag:
1 Ziplock bag
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 bottle of Italian dressing
2 people on the brink of starvation

Process:
1. Open bag (check for holes)
2. Place chicken breasts (frozen or not frozen) into bag
3. Pour entire bottle of dressing in bag
4. Seal bag
5. If frozen, wait
6. If not frozen, massage dressing into chicken. Pound away at it (don't make a hole in it though). Flatten chicken with hands (through bag) and really work the dressing in
7. Let sit in fridge overnight
8. Open bag the next evening
9. Take out marinated chicken breasts and place on foil-covered baking sheet.
10. Bake at no particular temperature (350+??) for no particular time (make sure it doesn't burn!)
11. Take out of oven, place on plate. Impress friends.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Denise on November 6, 2008 at 4:58pm: I love the '2 people on the brink of starvation' part. Ummmm, that is usually my husband! I'll share this with him, it's his kind of cooking.; ▶ Reply to This