What’s Stu Cooking

Well, I’m half way though my 6 month sabbatical and I’ve not been at the computer much, but I have been cooking up some tasty food down here in North Carolina.

Not having to go into an office job during the day allows the family and I to have nice big mid-day dinners and lighter evening meals.

Here’s a sampling of what’s been on the table here:

• Grillades and Grits
• Baked Sea Trout (caught by me!)
• Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy
• Szechuan Style Eggplant
• Chicken Gumbo (with fresh okra from Dub’s garden)
• Butter Beans with Country Ham
• Bluefish Fishcakes
• Baked Ham, Fried Apples, Acorn Squash and Cornbread
• Corn, Okra and Tomatoes

Believe it or not, this one beats an old favorite - banana nut bread - and gives us something to do will all the fresh rhubarb we get from the garden. The rhubarb really works to keep the cake nice and moist. Great sliced for breakfast with a nice pat of butter.

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk (substitute: 1 cup plain yogurt, or sour the milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon softened butter

Beat together the oil and brown sugar until smooth. Gently stir in the egg, buttermilk, salt, baking soda, vanilla, and flour; blending only until just moistened and combined. Do not over mix. Fold in the rhubarb and nuts. Pour into two 8×4x2 1/2-inch loaf pans.

For the topping, mix the sugar and softened butter until crumbly and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 350 F for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and allow to cool.

From Sugar Snips and Asparagus Tips

Kim doesn’t much like cabbage and so we don’t have coleslaw at home too often, which is unfortunate, because it’s a fantastic barbecue side dish. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before, but why not make coleslaw without the cabbage? So, that’s just what I did.

I used shredded carrot, cucumber and green onions with cider vinegar, mayo and black pepper for the dressing. I don’t quite remember the quantities of ingredients, but it shouldn’t matter if you know what the end result is supposed to be like. Cheat by using the dressing from another recipe if you don’t feel comfortable winging it. Just don’t be tempted to add sugar; the carrots make it sweet enough.