sweet buttermilk cornbread & honey butter

i have been making this for so long now that i almost forgot what a jiffy cornbread mix tasted like. last week i made a box of my old favorite jiffy (i was in a jiffy, what can i say) and i couldn't even eat it after being spoiled by this recipe.
this is the real deal. if you like a sweet cornbread, if you love jiffy cornbread, you will love this recipe. it doesn't crumble, it is moist, it doubles easily, it freezes, you can use wheat flour, it is a perfect perfect recipe that i thank my lucky stars i found!
i make it so often i keep the recipe taped to the inside of my cupboard (don't even try to get me to eat win-the-cookoff chili or cream of green chile soup without it,) and really really it doesn't take much longer than the box mix anyhoo!

sweet buttermilk cornbread
recipe from allrecipes

1 stick butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

* sometimes i will double this recipe and grease two pans, and freeze one pan of cornbread, baked, cooled and wrapped in foil. or if i need a bigger amount, i double the recipe and cook it in a 9x13" pan.

** i usually do the old vinegar in milk trick to sub for real buttermilk, which works great. i have recently started using powdered buttermilk (baking aisle, by pwd milk,) and love that too.


whipped honey butter
rachelle's recipe

honey
butter, softened

mix almost equal parts honey and butter, adding just a bit more butter than honey. whip in a stand mixer for larger amounts. if using unsalted butter, add a dash of salt. can add a couple of drops of vanilla. taste and adjust amounts as needed.

easy fresh strawberry pie

meet my new favorite dessert.
for a long time, i thought whipping up a shortcake was the yummiest and easiest strawberry dessert, but this strawberry pie is so delish it is worth the minimal extra work!
our family loves this really cold, with heaps of fresh sweetened whipped cream.

easy fresh strawberry pie
recipe from the prepared pantry

1 baked nine-inch pie shell
2 pounds fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons butter
couple drops red food coloring (optional)

1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar

hull and wash berries. mash enough berries to make about one cup of pulp.
combine the sugar, cornstarch, crushed strawberries, and water in a saucepan. cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil, stirring often. cook for two more minutes or until the sauce becomes thick and translucent. add butter and food coloring. set aside to cool.

fill the cooled pie shell with whole or halved strawberries. pour the cooled glaze over the berries. refrigerate the pie for 2 to 3 hours.

green fluff : lime jello fruit salad

this is your grandmother's jello. it's a perennial favorite at family dinners and holiday parties. it's also delish with strawberry or orange jello instead of lime!
this makes a huge bowl of fluff, so if you're not heading to a party, be sure to halve it or scale it down a bit.

green fluff (lime jello fruit salad)

1 (24 ounce) container low-fat small-curd cottage cheese
1 (12 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 (3 ounce) package lime Jell-O gelatin
4 (11 ounce) cans mandarin orange segments
1 (16 ounce) can pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped (optional)

mix cottage cheese, and lime jello together, then fold in Cool Whip until well mixed.
fold in the 1 cup of mini marshmallows.
drain fruit and fold into mixture last.
refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

italian cheese bread

this really yummy cheese bread comes together in under an hour, including time for rising. it's cheap and easy, great for potlucks. i make two pans to take to our big family sunday dinner or make one pan for pizza night and freeze half. i like to cut it like breadsticks to serve with pasta. it's great in a pinch- i can cook this while i make dinner and it's ready in time, unlike french bread that takes 2+ hours!
italian cheese bread
recipe from tammy's recipes

Bread:
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 cup warm water (120*F)
1 Tablespoon oil

Topping:
1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
dash pepper
1-2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Combine water and oil; add to flour mixture. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Punch the dough down; place on a greased 16" pizza pan and pat into a 16" circle. Combine salad dressing and seasonings, brush evenly over dough, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with cheeses.
For a fluffier cheese bread (our preference), at this point, allow the bread to rest for 15 minutes or so. If you're in a hurry, just skip this rise. (The bread will rise while it bakes, too.)
Preheat the oven to 450*F. Bake for 11 minutes or until golden brown. Slice. Serve warm.