Corndogs


This makes a lot. It was for eight feasting people. Reduce as you see fit.


1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup pastry or all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (depending on your taste)
1 - 1 1/4 cup whole milk (if you use whole grain cornmeal, use the higher amount)
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup cornstarch for dredging
24 hot dogs
Oil for frying
24 thick skewers

Preheat oil in a pan that will allow you to fry your hot dogs on sticks.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another, wide, large bowl, whisk together 1 cup milk, eggs and honey. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Place corn starch in a pie pan or other shallow dish and roll hot dogs in it. Dip hot dogs in the batter. This is a little easier if you pour the batter into a tall cup, but that isn't necessary, if you aren't interested in dirtying up another dish.

When oil is hot enough to sizzle bread, start frying corndogs. They may need to be turned. When they are golden and puffy, remove to a rack and fry remaining corndogs in batches, being careful not to crowd them.

Skewer hot dogs vertically. Serve with mustard and ketchup (or other sauces).


French Farmer's Soup

I love that our children choose dishes like this for their birthday dinners.

1 pound dry white beans cooked with:
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
(remove bay leaves and reserve 2 cups of bean broth)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound bacon, diced
2 large onions, diced
1 tablespoon dry thyme (or 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves)
4 large carrots, cut into 1/4" half moons
6 stalks celery, sliced
1 large or 2 small rutabagas, peeled and diced
10 cups chicken stock
4 teaspoons champagne vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup chopped parsley
2 cups homemade or good quality store bought croutons

Heat oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until it starts to brown and most of the fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add onions and thyme and cook until onions are just beginning to brown on the edges. Add carrots, celery and rutabaga and stir to coat with fat.

Add 4 cups of the chicken stock and simmer 10 - 20 minutes (until root veggies are almost cooked through). Add beans and and remaining stock and bean broth. Return bacon to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley and croutons.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen