My Real REAL Women of Philadelphia

Mindie's Puppkin Cornbread


I always talk about how lucky I am to be a part of the Real Women of Philadelphia (RWOP) community.  I really doubt Kraft could have imagined even HALF the camaraderie and fellowship this contest has created.  And now that they've turned the contest into a collaborative and charitable group effort, the community's love has grown ten-fold and is now feeding America's hungry and homeless.  It doesn't get much better than that.
I've made some really wonderful friends along the way; each one very unique and EXTREMELY confident, talented and enthusiastic.  Today I'm highlighting one of our very special women: she's a $500 winner, she's a very beautiful and sassy mother of two beautiful boys, she's interested in health, good food and community effort!  My kind of girl!



Mindie Hilton

 MINDIE HILTON -http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/

Now why didn't I think of this?  We all know that everything tastes better with bacon, but this clever cutie dedicated an entire blogsite to it!  Everyone I know always boasts about their favorite bacon recipe, and now I can't even look at the stuff without singing her praises!
She and I must have been separated at birth because as she points out in one of her blog articles, we both have TONS in common. 
Bacon isn't her only accolade, though.  Mindie is also hypoglycemic, so she stays in shape working out every day.  She lives high in the Sierra Mountains, so enjoys, hiking and walking; but also manages to find time to go to the gym and do hip-hop and kickboxing videos!
For some healthy cooking she says, "I try to cook lower sodium dishes and make substitutions when possible like cholesterol free egg product, applesauce instead of oil in cakes, etc."
I too am a big believer in the applesauce in cakes, it makes them tasty and moist, too!  I'm posting her super-creative pumpkin bread recipe and I just LOVE the presentation! 
Mindie, I'm one of your biggest fans, and I always look forward to your next blog post!  You are a superstar my dear, keep on rockin'!

PUMPKIN CORNBREAD

Mindie:  "I came up with this recipe when my husband needed something to bring to work for a morning potluck. I loved that there would be nothing for him to worry about heating up at the last minute. Since it is Fall, I served it with a sweet compound butter tinted green to resemble a stem. Of course you could serve this wonderful corn bread, not too sweet, not too dry, just right, any time of the year. This great bread is delicious on it's own, even better with butter, and would be perfect with soup, chili, or eggs. This is a large bundt size that will serve at least 12 or more. I have made this recipe for just my family cutting it in thirds and it has turned out just as good and bakes in that same bundt pan in 18 minutes."

Individual Mini Cornbread Cakes with Sweet Compound Butter Stems

Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 40 minutes / Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 12 ounce(s) of Philadelphia Honey Nut Cream Cheese
• 9 ounce(s) of Pumpkin Puree
• 3 eggs (or 3/4 cup of cholesterol free egg product as I used)
• 3 ounce(s) of Canola Oil
• 3 tbsp. of Honey
• 1 cup(s) of Brown Sugar, Lightly Packed
• 1 1/8 tsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of Baking Powder
• 9 ounce(s) of Yellow Corn Meal
• 15 ounce(s) of All Purpose Flour, Do not pack lightly level off your measurements with a butter knife

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put all of your ingredients into a large mixing bowl along with 3/4 tsp. of salt and mix by hand or with a mixer just until all is well combined. It will be easier to mix if cream cheese is at room temperature.
3. Poor batter into a bundt pan that has been greased with oil, butter, or a non stick butter flavored spray.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until it is nice and golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into bread. You might need to run a butter knife around edges and center to release bread. Invert onto a serving dish. This can be served warm fresh from the oven, as I prefer it or served cold. I would store leftovers covered in fridge.
5. Optional, I served mine with a compound butter, easily made by whipping together room temperature 2 sticks of unsalted butter, 2 tbs. of honey, just a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp of salt along with enough green food coloring to get desired color for stem.