Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

 

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

1 cup 1:1 gluten free flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk or whole milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice added
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Mix dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl. In a separate small mixing bowl, beat eggs and add buttermilk or whole milk with lemon juice added. The lemon juice curdles the milk which makes the milk turn sour like buttermilk. Preheat oven to 375 F. While oven is preheating, melt butter in an 8 or 9 inch cast iron skillet. Add milk and egg mixture to dry ingredients. When butter is melted, remove from oven and brush sides of pan with butter. Pour remaining butter into batter, stirring batter quickly. Pour batter into cast iron skillet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.Light, crumbly in a god way, nice crust but not too hard or crunchy. According to both Gary and I, this is the recipe for cornbread we both prefer.

Changing to a Floral Landscape

Cherokee Brave Dogwood

We've decided to convert some of our vegetable bins
to flowering shrubs and trees to minimize daily care.

The first bin will planted this Cherokee Brave dogwood

and on either side are planted Spring Sizzle hydrangeas.
Thankful for my Gary who did all the heavy lifting and planting.

Cherokee Brave flowers up close

Spring Sizzle Hydrangea

This variety likes sun and the sturdy branches keep the flowers from drooping. The very dark green leaves are almost leathery which is surprising for an hydrangea.

The flowers begin white, then turn pink, then dark pink.
Can't wait for next Spring.

Fresh Peach Sorbet

Fresh Peach Sorbet

5-6 ripe cling free peaches, seeded, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of salt
(1 small can peaches if need be)

Prepare peaches and set aside. Heat sugar and water till sugar
is dissolved. Set sugar water aside to cool.
In a blender add peaches and whirl till mixture becomes a puree.
When sugar water is cool, add remaining ingredients
and pour into freezer safe containers to freeze.
Remove sorbet from freezer 1/2 hour before serving.
If peach mixture is too thick to blend, add canned peaches
without the liquid to help mixture liquify.
Makes 4 servings if not using canned peaches.
Makes 6 servings if using canned peaches.

Why not enjoy this refreshing summer treat.

Drying Leaves for Eco Printing

Drying Leaves for Eco Printing

Japanese maple leaves

black walnut leaves

eucalyptus leaves

birch leaves

oak leaves

native maple leaves

sumac leaves

more eucalyptus leaves

tulip tree (liriodendron) leaves

Not all leaves will print but these are some I've used.