The rain finally stopped and the sun came out so we’ve been enjoying having the house open again. There has been a nice southerly breeze blowing the scent of privet and honeysuckle in through the open doors and windows. We enjoy it while we can until one of our neighbors decides it’s time to burn brush and then we have to close the house up again.
I’ve been in the mood for a big pot of Black Bean Soup. I saute diced onion, carrots and celery in a little butter and then add three or four cans of no-salt added, canned Organic Black Beans, a can of no-salt added, canned Organic Sweet Corn, a can of Ro-tel Original Chilies and Tomatoes and a couple of cups of chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste and three bay leaves. I let it simmer on top of the stove for several hours and I usually make a pan of cornbread to go with it.
I make my cornbread from scratch with one cup of stone-ground yellow cornmeal, one cup of unbleached flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of sea salt, one tablespoon of raw sugar, one egg, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and a cup of milk or half-and-half, whichever I have on hand at the time.
I mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a second bowl I beat the egg, add the oil and milk, mix it well and add it to the dry ingredients. I pour the batter into a well buttered #10 cast iron skillet, drizzle honey on top (a tip from my daughter) and bake it at 425° for twenty minutes.
In looking at the photo of the cornbread on top of the butcher block I am reminded that I intended to mention the crocheted pot holder pattern. So, here it is! Diagonal Hotpad.
Rural Texas Knitter 