Marie Callender's Famous Golden Corn Bread

This cornbread is sweet and dense, with a cake-like quality.

1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. corn meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. shortening
1 egg

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add milk, shortening, and egg. Mix only until all the ingredients are well combined. Pour batter into a greased 8 X 8 inch pan. Bake at 400 ° F for 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

HONEY BUTTER
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. honey

Use a mixer on high speed to whip together until smooth and fluffy.

Recipe from A Treasury of Top Secret Recipes.

Apple Fritters

Okay, I went out to Patterson's today...and had to make some fresh apple fritters. My family loves these. Warning: don't think about the calories!

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C. milk
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt

2 large, tart, cooking apples

Glaze: combine powdered sugar with milk to desired quantity and consistency (sorry! I never measure!)

Peel, core, and dice the apples, and set aside. Beat eggs, milk, 1 tsp. oil, and sugar together until well blended. Stir dry ingredients together, and then add into egg mixture until just blended. Stir in apples. Drop by heaping tablespoon (like huge heaping tablespoon) into hot oil. Fry a few pieces at a time, turning once. Drain on paper towel, then transfer to a cooling rack with wax paper underneath. Drizzle the glaze on top, wait a few minutes, turn fritters and drizzle glaze on other side then transfer to the serving tray. Make sure that you drizzle the glaze while they're still hot, this way the glaze spreads really well.

This recipe makes about 12-15 fritters...so if you're serving a big crowd double or triple it. Also, I use vegetable oil to fry the fritters in, and put in about 1 1/2 in. of oil into the pan.