Corn Muffins

2 c. SR cornmeal
1 c. sour cream
2 eggs
2/3 c. oil
1 can cream style corn

Combine all ingredients well. Pour in sprayed muffin tins. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes until nice and brown. Remove from oven and allow to set for 5 minutes before removing from tins. I made 1  set of regular sized muffins and 1 set of mini muffins. Serve with soups, chili, or gumbo.

*This can also be made in a cast iron skillet or any other pan/dish you would put cornbread in. I just like the individual serving size muffins.

Crockpot Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen salad shrimp, thawed)
salt & pepper to taste
Tony Chachere's creole seasoning, to taste
1/2 c. olive oil
2 pounds okra, sliced
1 can Del Monte diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, and oregano, juice and all
1 c. chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. celery, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
5-6 c. water
cooked brown rice or quinoa

Place oil in skillet and add okra. Cook over medium heat 30-40 minutes until no longer slimy, stirring occasionally. Place all other ingredients, except shrimp, okra, & rice in lined crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours. Add shrimp and okra during the last 30 minutes, after reducing to low. Serve over rice or quinoa if desired. I also made "corn" muffins. Yummy!

Frosted Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies

2 1/2 c. SR flour
1 c. sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/4 c. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 T. lemon zest (optional)
1 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon extract
Icing:
3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 T. milk
1/2 T. lemon juice

Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until fluffy 5-6 minutes. Combine flour, and lemon zest. Alternate between adding flour mixture and lemon juice to cream cheese mixture, begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until a rough dough forms. Add flour if needed to prevent from being too sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spoon out dough with small cookie scoop. Roll dough between hands if desired. Place on cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove from oven and cool. While cooling, combine icing ingredients until smooth. Add more or less powdered sugar depending on how thick you want the icing. Drizzle over cooled cookies before serving.