Thursday, November 26, 2015

Lower Calorie Corn Pudding Recipe

This corn pudding recipe is from my Grandmother.  I thought she copied it from the Green Giant Niblets label, but  when I search for Green Giant  corn Pudding recipes they all include a box of  corn  bread mix.  So do the recipes on allrecipes and other sites.  Maybe, and I am just speculating here, this recipe predates the modern versions because it uses eggs to make a custard base.  Without the cornbread mix and with the eggs, this becomes a lower calorie, higher protein version of corn pudding.  Possibly the recipe is from the  Green Giant label?  If so, props to Green Giant for becoming part of our family tradition.  Her hand written recipe calls for Green Giant Niblets specifically.

2 cans (aprox 7 ounces, or one 15 ounce can) Green Giant Niblets corn
3 Tablespoons melted better
1 1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons Flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (if desired)
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 325
 Grease an 11x7x2 pan
If possible, have all ingredients at room temperature to prevent the milk and eggs from hardening the melted butter.





1. Mix flour, sugar and salt in small bowl.
2. Open and drain can(s) of corn
3. In large bowl, beat eggs
4. Add flour mixture and butter to eggs.   Beat well.
5. Add corn.  Mix well.
6. Pour into greased pan.
7.  Bake at 325 until middle is set and knife comes out clean.  Top should be dappled golden brown.

Do not overcook or the custard will get watery.

Very simple to make .

The trick is to make sure the corn is still suspended in the custard when it 'sets'. Prep all ingredients, mix well, place in baking pan and then put immediately into a hot oven.  If it sits in the baking pan on the counter as the oven heats restir the ingredients suspend the corn.  Grandma always used a water bath in the oven so it would cook quickly.  To do this, take a larger baking pan, and before you start cooking, place your corn pudding pan into it.  Fill the larger pan (between the edges of the two pans) with water so that it rises up the side, but not over the edge of the corn pudding pan.   Take out the corn pudding pan and put the larger one with the water into the oven to preheat.  When you have the corn pudding ready to go, place it into the hot water bath in the oven.   Sounds like a lot of steps. No I cheat (sorry Grandma).  I set a time for 10 minutes into the cook time.  Open the oven door and RESTIR the ingredients just before the custard starts to set. :) when I do this, I never have the corn pudding with all of the corn on the bottom and custard on top.  If the corn settles, it still tastes the same.  Just tell folks you meant it to be layered.  :) Then try again next year.  Bone of the nice things about having passed a Significant Birthday is that you learn how to have self empathy.  So shrug, smile, make fun of a settled corn pudding (I designed it to be striated?!?) repeat next year.



Sunday, November 15, 2015

Are Spider Plants Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?


Bottom line up front: Spider Plants are NOT toxic to cats and dogs.  According to the ASPCA chlorophytum is classified as non toxic to cats and dogs.  Link at bottom.  If anyone is going to error on the side of safety for cats and dogs, it will be the ASPCA. 

So this guy is safe.  In fact, as a housecat he craves greens and will eat spider plants in place of grass.  Because the house cat is unable to digest the vegetation of the spider plant, he uses it to help vomit fur balls and act as a laxative to clear all of the inedible things he eats.  He gives you a haughty look when accused, but you are pretty sure I wasn't you that chewed the corner off the mail, dug the chicken bones out of the trash and gnawed on the gift ribbon (right before taking it to a party).  



https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/chlorophytum


Shameless!!! That is not a salad bar!! Let that poor plant be!

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Spider plant Bonnie


Bonnie Spider Plants are a patented curly leaved houseplant with dark green curly leaves that have a white blaze down the center of each leaf.  The Bonnie spider plant care is very easy, they make hardy house plants that live for years.  This curly leaf spider plant will thrive in a sunny room with weekly watering to keep the soil evenly moist, but not wet.   When the plant is feeling snug in its pot and is showing signs of the roots crammed together, it starts to send out offspring on stalks that beige to yellow in color. This is a survival strategy.   Not enough soil and nutrients here?  What about over there?  And off go the little spider plantlets in search of a home.