Redneck Tiramisu

I love to bake.  Really, I love to cook anything.  Sometimes I'm in the mood to try a challenging recipe and spend hours shopping for specialty ingredients, separating egg whites, folding in ingredients, and completing complicated steps.  Other times, I just need to cook, and I want it done fast.  I love pillsbury.com for recipes like that-if it calls for a pound of hamburger and some crescent rolls, I'm in.  Lately, I've really had a craving for tiramisu.  I blame Kathy Wakile from "The Real Housewives of New Jersey."  Sorry Teresa, but it's Kathy's cookbook I want to buy!  So yesterday, I decided I was going to make tiramisu, and I googled some recipes.  I ran in to some complications when I realized 1)-I needed mascarpone cheese and espresso, two things I wasn't going to find in this small town and 2)-it was quite a process to make, and I wasn't in the mood.  I wanted tiramisu and I wanted it now.  So I headed over to my trusty Pinterest and typed in "easy tiramisu".  Most everything still required mascarpone.  Then the word "Twinkies" caught my eye.  Twinkies I can find in this town.  Yet the recipe still wasn't easy enough for me, so I adapted my own recipe from this one, which I will lovingly refer to as Redneck Tiramisu.  Super sweet, but quite tasty.  Ya know, if you like Twinkies.  You're welcome.

  Redneck Tiramisu

5 tablespoons instant coffee or espresso powder

3/4 cup of sugar divided

8 ounces whipped cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 container of Cool Whip, thawed in fridge (I used fat free)

10 Twinkies (actually, I used the Little Debbie wannabees because they were $1 cheaper)

cocoa powder

In a glass bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and the instant coffee with 1 cup of boiling water, whisking until dissolved.  Let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk cream cheese, vanilla and 1/4 cup of sugar until blended.  (I didn't bother with the electric mixer, just made Ben stir for a while.)  Gradually whisk in thawed Cool Whip to cream cheese mixture.

Cut Twinkies in half lengthwise.  Dip each half into the coffee mixture.  (Just moisten, don't soak.)  As you dip, place the Twinkies along side each other in a baking dish to create the bottom layer.  If you use a 8x8(ish) sized dish, half of the Twinkies will make the bottom layer.  Spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture on top of the Twinkie layer, then sprinkle it with cocoa powder.  Dip the remaining Twinkie halves and create a another Twinkie, cream cheese, cocoa powder layer.  Cover tightly and refrigerate until well chilled. 





Slap Yo Momma Cornbread

It's no secret that I love cornbread.  There's nothing, I mean NOTHING better than a warm slice of sweet cornbread with melted butter on top.  My friends in high school would tease me when that Alan Jackson song ("where I come from, it's cornbread and chicken...") would come on.  Apparently my mom made it a lot, but that's the way it should be!  I love all kinds of cornbread: cheesy cornbread, jalapeno cornbread, whole kernel cornbread...you get the picture.  A few weeks ago, I had a piece of cornbread that was so good, words cannot describe it.  And now I have the secret recipe, and I'm going to share it with you.

Florida's Kitchen is a restaurant in Livingston, if you can call it a restaurant.  It's tucked away in the woods, (you would never find it if you didn't know where to look,) and it doesn't look like your typical restaurant.  A building/trailer combo, with atmosphere consisting of card tables, mismatched folding chairs, uneven floors, and strange angel statues of every shape, size and color.  The food is best described as "soul food":barbecued ribs, brisket, hushpuppies, fried catfish, fresh cooked vegetables, home made cakes and pies, giant glasses of iced tea...you get the picture.  A salad at Florida's has ribs and brisket on it.  This isn't dainty food, and it is so dang good.  The last time Ben and I went there, I ordered "Sly's Bowl", a bowl of pinto beans topped with shredded brisket tips.  (Don't judge, it's delish!)  Of course I ordered cornbread on the side.  Our fast talking waitress asked me if I wanted to try the "cheesy jalapeno crawfish cornbread" instead.  UM, YES!  Guys, it was the best cornbread I've ever had.  EVER.  SOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!  After the first bite, I thought I heard the soul food angels singing.  (Then I remembed it was just the southern gospel playing on the boom box in the corner!)  I raved to the waitress about it, and she told me she would let the cook know that I liked it, and maybe she would consider adding it to the permanent menu.  My heart broke...the cheesy jalapeno cornbread was just a test recipe!  I vowed to search high and low until I found the recipe, and ladies and gentlemen, I have it.  The actual recipe from Florida's cook herself.  Based on how dang good the food is at Florida's, I'm guessing the cooks don't really share recipes often, so I won't reveal my secret source.  But I never promised I wouldn't share the recipe!  Without further ado, here is the recipe, written exactly how it was given to me, on a tiny scrap of paper.

Crawfish Cornbread

2-3 cans evaporated milk

1 package crawfish, frozen, thawed

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 bell pepper chopped

1 package shredded cheese

3-4 boxes Jiffy Cornbread

1 stick butter

3-4 eggs

jalapenos in the jar, chopped

1/2 can whole kernel corn

Sautee peppers, onion, crawfish, and butter.  Season.  Mix all ingredients.  Bake 350 degrees until done.

Yes, I know, that is the vaguest recipe ever written down.  I plan on cutting this in half some way, probably using two boxes of Jiffy, one can evaporated milk, and two eggs...but don't take my word for it, because I haven't tried it yet!  Use your own judgement.  Now, I'm off to make these yummy delights!  (PS-Florida's used a muffin tin, and I suggest you do too!)