Have you ever wondered why my website is called Sawdust and Cornbread? Well, I guess the sawdust part is self-explanatory. But why “cornbread?” The truth of the matter is while I enjoy making and fixing things around the house, yard work, and basic electrical tasks, I do NOT enjoy cooking…At all! It’s a bit ironic, or fortunate, considering my daughter is now a sous chef. My husband and his father picked up as head chefs for their households. My daughter is usually the one who comes up with a simple dinner with leftovers.
Cornbread
There is, however, one dish that I have quite nearly perfected. This is good, old-fashioned, mouthwatering, southern-style cornbread. I can whip up a golden delicious cast iron skillet of cornbread. It has the perfect crisp crust and moist fluffy inside. I’m not talking about the bright yellow sweet stuff in a box. We’re talking straight from the country, made from scratch, tried and true, buttermilk cornbread. Other than that, I’m all thumbs in the kitchen. So, I create a LOT of sawdust and please my family with the occasional scrumptious pan of cornbread.
I Made It/ They Ate It
Being acutely aware of my culinary shortcomings, I seldomly attempt to create any new meal items. Tonight, however, was different. I challenged myself to do what I do when there is something I want for my house. I looked at what I had to work with and created a simple dinner with leftovers. This is risky business for me, and my family…lol. But I made it and they ate it. They actually liked it and came back for seconds. My sous chef daughter encouraged me to write down what I had done. I figure if I can make it without messing up, anyone can. So, I’ll share it with you, my friends. 🙂
Start With Chicken
This is NOT a food blog. I don’t even know how to start a blog about cooking. But I started with chicken. Three large boneless, skinless breasts to be exact. Before this gets too involved, I will make it simple and get my daughter to put this in some form of a recipe for you at the bottom. I drizzled some olive oil over the chicken breasts, added a bit of salt and pepper, and baked them in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Everything Else
While the chicken bakes, prepare 2 6oz boxes of Chicken Stove Top according to box directions. In a bowl, mix together 1 box organic chicken bone broth, 1/2 cup mild fire-roasted bell pepper strips, 1/2 cup leftover corn, 1/2 cup leftover green beans, and 1/2 cup sour cream.
Putting It Together
When the chicken is done, get it out, but leave the oven on 350. Let the chicken cool then cut it into small cubes with a sharp knife. Lightly grease a glass 10×13 casserole dish and spread the diced chicken in it. Pour the mixture of stuff on top of it. Spoon all of the prepared Stove Top evenly on top of everything. Take a spoon and push the stovetop down. Don’t squish it, just sink it. 🙂 Sprinkle around 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder over the entire dish.
Set It and Forget It… Maybe Don’t Forget It…
Put the entire casserole dish full of goodness into the center rack in the oven. Shut the door and leave it in there for 30 minutes. Get it out and let it set out for a little while to cool and thicken up. Now, watch your family enjoy something you made from what you have! We made a simple dinner with leftovers!
Here’s a more put-together version of my creation. Thanks to my beautiful daughter.
More Great Ideas
I can guarantee you there won’t be many cooking ideas on this blog. You will, however, find countless ways to create the home you want using the things you have. Be my guest at the Sawdust and Cornbread YouTube Channel where I post weekly DIY videos. Also, be sure to bookmark this blog and come back often. I post several times a week. Thanks for joining me.
~Lora Lea
