Soooo Kelsey called this afternoon and wanted to know if she could come look at my restaurant layout. I said sure and invited her to join us for Aztec soup and cornbread. Next thing we know we’re drinking wine and she’s spending the night!!
I kept it cool with about 5oz – 4 to start and a splash with dinner. Check out this awesome bottle! It was a Syrah and Cab blend from TJ’s and was SOOO juicy and delicious.
I had a bit of dried fruit earlier in the afternoon to tide my hunger. It was just barely there and I knew we’d have a while until dinner –
On the menu: Happy Herbivore’s Aztec Soup!
And Trader Joe’s Cornbread Mix! We got this as a Christmas present and it did not disappoint!
It called for half a cup of oil – no thanks! So I halved that to 1/4 a cup of canola oil and added 1 cup of 1% milk instead. Worked perfectly! The cornbread was super sweet – almost cake like – and perfectly browned.
My slice drizzled with honey –
The soup was great too!! I pretty much stuck to the original recipe, but made a few changes. My recipe included:
- 2 cups frozen/thawed corn
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Amaranth, cooked in 1.5 cups water (I accidentally doubled the amount of grain – I had planned to save the rest to mix with oatmeal but forgot and just put it all in!)
- 1 can Rotel (instead of green chiles)
- About a cup (vs. half a cup) of these cool local beans from the Asheville Farmer’s Market that we cooked from scratch earlier today ——————>
- 1 cup plain soy milk (Kelsey’s contribution)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp kosher salt (<——– this recipe very much needed salt!!! After the salt and maple, it all came together)
- Sprinkle pepper
- Avocado + cilantro for garnish
The cornbread was so good I went back for another nibble 
Then we put it in the freezer before we all started in on more!
Agenda:
- Double blogging
- Kelsey’s first House Hunters
- 8 hours of sleep
- Double morning yoga
- Double oatmeal (a new mix is planned!)
- Double blogging
- Carpooling without the first leg
Goodnight!
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmmm, super tasty!
Cornbread!!! Deeeelish.
Night!!
FUn night! That cornbread sounds incredible too
How fun!! Have a blast with Kelsey, and enjoy the sleepover!
So much fun! Enjoy House Hunters- that’s one of my favorites too!
Have a fun sleepover!!! maybe you girls will paint your nails too! Also, I heard through the grapevine that southern cornbread is not sweet, but here you go adding honey to yours, so maybe the rumors were false?
Kelsey and you are sooo pretty. Looks like a blast.
hope you two have fun on your sleepover!
Hahah you guys are too cute! Have a fun night!
D-
what fun!
Sleepovers are so fun! Enjoy a girls’ night.
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Cornbread looks tasty!
I bet honey on corn bread is really good!
Yeah for fun with Kelsey! She will love House Hunters!
YAY! I love slumber parties
! I love the first picture of the two of you. You guys look so cute and relaxed together!
Kelsey’s FIRST house hunter!? That is definitely a special occasion! She’s gonna love it. Have a great night you guys and don’t stay up too late
I love Trader Joe’s wines – yummy & affordable!
Haha, a sleepover – how cute! Are you guys going to do some blogworld gossip?? Hehe.
And that’s her FRIST House Hunters?!? Ahh! Go Kath for showing it to her first! She’s missing out.
Fun sleepover!!
I love it.
Fun! I love sleepovers. That cornbread looks great.
Yummy soup! Even though the weather is getting warmer, soup is always nice to have. Sounds like you had a lovely night! Thats great
Sounds like you have a fun evening planned!
Dinner looks delicious!
The TJ Cornbread looks great! I am going to have to try it
cornbread looks DELISH!!! have so much fun tonight!
Aww, I don’t have any girlfriends close by me here and I miss sleepovers! What will Matt be doing? Maybe he should sleep with the bears.
Wine + sleepover! You rock!!! Cornbread looks delicious too…mmmmm!!!!!
omg. I love Tj”s but the closest is 40 minutes away. Just was there on Friday for my monthly stock up and did not see this cornbread darn. next time. Sounds like a fun night. Since we live in PA our Tj’s does not have wine double darn. great site.
Where’s Matt?
That Kelsey is too cool. She can turn a cup of soymilk into soup, cornbread and a bottle of wine.
cute pictures! i love sleepovers with good friends
Love the soup! Thanks for the idea to decrease the oil in the cornbread.
that wine bottle is really cool! i’m jealous of the slumber party- i miss those! you two have so much fun together!
That trail mix looks interesting–is that dried kiwi I see?
I’ve never tried cornbread – it looks wonderful!
aww looked like a fun sleepover!!
Looks like a great time!
hey kath,
actually have a lunch related question (but wasn’t sure you’d see it): any idea about the sodium stats on your sardines? i’d really like to start eating sardines, but the only ones i seem to see have a TON of salt – but never seen the kind packed in mustard/dill sauce…
soup looks group — is that a cold or hot soup? i’ve been making tons of (hot) veggie soups over the winter but looking for some new recipes to transition to warmer weather (and colder soups)…
Looks like so much fun!! Yogurt makes a good substitute for the oil in that mix but then what’s the point of eating cornbread. LOL
I make the best cornbread!!! (im bragging) but my secret is….its the recipe off of the can of cornmeal!!! it is the best recipe..very little oil, skim milk, and egg whites, but you would never know it. It is so moist and delicious! i sprinkle a little bit of white sugar on top before baking..its awesome!
Now, im definently making taco salad and corn bread for dinner tonight!
The soup sounds really good. Glad you had a nice weekend!
Haha how fun! You are never too old for sleepovers =)
is that a bean in the cornbread? or just a crusty tasty nubbin?
The soup looks fantastic! I love a fresh avocado slice for garnish. Delicious!
Lisa D,
I’ve never heard of southerners not liking anything sweet! I’ve had it both savory and sweet many times.
Sara ,
The sardines have 580mg of sodium. That is on the high side, but I don’t have any reason to need to watch my salt intake (and generally don’t eat much other processed foods). Unless you have a reason to be watching your salt, I wouldn’t worry.
The soup was hot. I have a hard time eating cold soups.
Tracy ,
There were pieces of corn in the mix!
Kath
That wine is question mark and is made at Oreana winery aka cellar 205 here in Santa Barbara they make it every year. my girlfriend Jenny pours there, I sent her this link. Great Christmas gifts for the office. Glad that you like it!
Hey! you made the soup look amazing! Thanks