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Good morning and welcome to your Wednesday edition of A to Z Recipes
newsletter. I hope this finds you well. We are doing great after such a busy
week. My Mother's Day went really well. I had to work, but my kids called me
before I went off duty and said that no Mom should have to cook on Mother's Day.
I was so proud! I knew the next thing would be to say they had prepared dinner
for me! NOT! They asked if I could bring home Jack In The Box for dinner, lol.
So... we ate dinner on the front porch and watched the horrible weather. Afterwards, the kids cleaned up for me! (they threw the trash bag away,
lol). What a great idea! It probably wouldn't have been as much fun had we known
about the tornado warnings...
Oops! There were a couple of recipes that I omitted from the Theme Issue posted
last Sunday. I apologize for the oversight but will include them in next
Sunday's issue. Promise! And I hope you will be sending in your submissions for
the current theme of Regional Recipes - Food From Home. I am planning a
permanent web page for this theme, so please let's make it a great one. I would
hate to leave out a state or country where we have A to Z Recipes readers
because no one sent in anything! Make sure you use the link found in the Monthly
Theme section.
Here is Linda with a really corny issue. Really!
Hi from Linda in Michigan. Corn. My favorite vegetable. I like it anyway it is fixed. My brother likes creamed corn on top of mashed potatoes. The grandkids always pick corn when I send them to the pantry for a vegetable for dinner. We are starting to see some corn on the cob in the supermarkets now. Sweet southern corn. Michigan corn doesn’t come in until August. That’s when I am in hog heaven. Although most of the corn grown here is feed corn, some of the farmers put in a few acres of sweet corn. We go to the same roadside stand every year, every couple of days until the crop runs out or we just can’t eat another ear. The farmer leaves bags of corn on a picnic table. No need to count the ears. There are always 13 or
14 ears in the bag. Just leave your dollars in the metal box on the table. He trusts us, we trust him. I have found some great corn recipes for you. A-maizing!
Food For Thought
Just a thought... something to feed your brain. Shared in each issue by Fancy in Aurora, Nebraska.
“As Midwesterners know, corn ought to be ‘knee high by the fourth of July’. There is nothing more American, except apple pie, of course, than a juicy ear of corn in the hot summer months. Yet corn is an integral part of many dishes around the globe, from posole and polenta to corn chowder and Yankee corn relish…”
~From the publishers of Corn: A Country Garden Cookbook
Ramblings
LAUGHING CORN by Carl Sandburg
There was a high majestic fooling
Day before yesterday in the yellow corn.
And day after to-morrow in the yellow corn
There will be high majestic fooling.
The ears ripen in late summer
And come on with a conquering laughter,
Come on with a high and conquering laughter.
The long-tailed blackbirds are hoarse.
One of the smaller blackbirds chitters on a stalk
And a spot of red is on its shoulder
And I never heard its name in my life.
Some of the ears are bursting.
A white juice works inside.
Cornsilk creeps in the end and dangles in the wind.
Always--I never knew it any other way--
The wind and the corn talk things over together.
And the rain and the corn and the sun and the corn
Talk things over together.
Over the road is the farmhouse.
The siding is white and a green blind is slung loose.
It will not be fixed till the corn is husked.
The farmer and his wife talk things over together.
Fully ripe sweet corn has bright green, moist husks. The silk should be stiff, dark and moist. You should be able to feel individual kernels by pressing gently against the husk. Fresh corn, if possible, should be cooked and served the day it is picked or purchased.
As soon as corn is picked, its sugar begins is gradual conversion to starch, which reduces the corn's natural sweetness. Corn will lose 25% or more of its sugar within 25 hours
after harvesting it. If for some reason corn is not being used immediately or has been purchased from the supermarket, add sugar to replace that which has been lost. Add one teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.
Between purchasing and cooking, keep the corn moist and cool. Pack in a cooler for the trip home from farm or market and refrigerate corn immediately after taking it home. By refrigerating the corn it helps the corn stay sweet by not letting the sugars turn to starch. Use within two or three days.
How To Cook Corn - The Right Way!
IN WATER:
Choose a pot large enough to hold the amount of corn you want to cook, with room for water to cover the corn. Cover pot and bring water to a boil on high heat. Add husked corn ears and continue to cook on high heat (covered or not) three to four minutes or until kernels are very hot.
Grandma Myers' Corn Tip
Put a pot of water on the stove, and while it comes to a boil, pick your corn and husk it. Drop the corn into the boiling water, when the water starts to boil again, remove the corn. IT'S DONE!
TIP: If you're having a party, borrow this trick from markets in Mexico. Vendors selling ears of corn for snacks keep them ready and waiting for several hours in tubs of lukewarm
water. Instead of butter, ears are rubbed with lime wedges and sprinkled with salt. This nonfat alternative is very good.
IN THE HUSK - GRILLED OR BAKED:
Corn cooked this way is steamed and does not taste very different from boiled corn. It is handy to serve in the husk because you can season or butter the corn before it is cooked.
To prepare, pull husk back from each ear of corn, but leave attached at base of cob. Pull off and discard silk; trim off any insect damage, and rinse ears. If you want to butter them pat ears dry and rub with soft butter. Pull husks back up around corn.
If you want the husk to stay snugly against the ear, pull off one or two of the outer husk layers, tear
lengthwise into thin strips, and tie them around ear in several places. Just before cooking, immerse the ears in cool water (this keeps husks from burning).
TO GRILL:
Husk corn and discard silk; wrap each ear loosely with aluminum foil. Over gas or hot coals, place corn onto a hot grill over medium heat. Cover barbecue with lid, open any vents, and cook fifteen to 20 twenty minutes; turn occasionally.
TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare corn as directed for grilling, but put ears in a single layer, separating them slightly, directly onto the oven rack or onto a baking pan. Bake twenty to twenty-five minutes or until corn is tender when pierced and very hot.
MICROWAVING:
Perfect for cooking just one ear of corn. Husk corn and discard silk. Rinse and wrap each ear loosely in a paper towl. Cook on full power one to two minutes or until ears are very hot to touch.
At A to Z Recipes, we have readers from all over the world. Each shares a common bond: the love of sharing and collecting recipes. What we are aiming for in the current theme is collecting recipes that are special to your area. What particular recipe is most indigenous to your locale? For example, I am from Texas, so you might expect a down-home delicious barbecue or pecan-laced recipe from me. I think you get the idea! You can send in one or many; the more the merrier. As we are sorting these into categories by state and country, it is very important that you include your location (along with your first name for posting, of course). Please share some recipes from where you live in this month's theme topic of Regional Recipes - Food From Home. We will collect them
the remainder of this month and post them on the first Sunday of June. Please understand that we do not wish to infringe on copyrighted material; if your source states it is copyrighted then do not send it. Make sure to view the rules section to ensure your submissions are acceptable.
A to Z Recipes continues with its popular Theme Issues. We will share theme recipes and post them on the first Sunday of each month. Send your recipes no later than the last day of each month to have them posted in the next monthly theme issue. You may send in your favorite theme recipes in ONE email. If the number of recipes submitted by readers exceeds those needed in the issue, the publisher will post as many from every submitter as possible and save the remaining recipes for the following Sundays of that month. The rules for recipe submissions for the monthly theme issues are the same as ALL recipes submitted for posting.
The rules for posting items in A to Z Recipes newsletters are:
As a service to your fellow readers, please send only items that are in a form that others could easily copy and save for their own use. Items that would require a lot of editing or cleaning up (ALL caps or NO caps) or recipes that use non-standard measurements should not be submitted. Items without a name and location of sender may NOT be posted or posted without any credit given. Many web sites prohibit distribution of their materials without a web link. If you wish to submit an item from another web site, be sure that web site allows it. If so, you must include the web site address (the URL - in other words - cut and paste the address shown in your web browser when you viewed the item on that web site). It is unreasonable to expect a2z to research and verify your
sources. There will be NO recipes posted that are copyrighted or from other recipe-zines. A to Z Recipes protects the privacy of its readers and does NOT publish email addresses. There will be no exceptions.
See the A to Z Recipes Theme Issues collection here:
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~Maggie~
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Crazy Corner
The baby corn asks his mama corn: Where do baby corns come from?
Mama says "I told ya before, the stalk (stork) brought ya".
2 corn cobs were walking downtown and the first cob noticed that they were being followed by another strange cob everywhere they went. The first cob whispered to the second cob "Don't look know but I think we are being followed by a stalker".
Why is it not wise to tell secrets in a cornfield?
There are too many ears.
Do you know who the father of all bad jokes is?
Pop Corn!!!
A man goes to the doctor and he has a banana sticking out of each ear and corn in his nose. He says, "Doc, I don't feel well" and the doctor replies "Well, you're not eating right"!
1 (15 ounce) can white corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can yellow corn, drained
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
chopped fresh cilantro to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium baking dish, mix white corn, yellow corn, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, cream cheese, chili powder, garlic powder and cilantro. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until hot bubbly
12 ears of fresh-picked corn
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
? cup heavy cream
? tsp. salt
Cut the kernels off of the corn, capturing juices and kernels a large bowl. Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet. Add the corn, all of its liquid and the cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and bubbles and the corn no longer tastes raw - about 8 minutes. Add salt and a pinch of cayenne or plenty of freshly ground black pepper to taste.
2 tablespoons butter
4 scallions, white bulbs and green tops chopped and reserved separately
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 pound boiling potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 8 ears)
1 bay leaf
1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Sour cream, for serving (optional)
1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the scallion bulbs, bell pepper, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, 2 cups of the corn, the bay leaf, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
2. In a blender or food processor, puree the remaining 2 cups corn with the milk. Stir the puree into the soup along with the black pepper. Simmer until the soup thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the scallion greens. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if using.
Wine Recommendation: Chardonnay seems to have an affinity for corn; perhaps it is the sweet buttery flavors that complement each other so well. For best effect with this chowder, pick a rich, full-bodied example from southeastern Australia.
Notes: If you want to use frozen corn, puree two cups of it with the milk as directed above, and add the remaining two cups to the soup along with the puree. Since the corn is already cooked, it might toughen if it goes in earlier. You could add a pinch of sugar, too. Yield: 4
6 ears of corn or 1 (12-oz.) can corn kernels, drained
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. If fresh corn is used, remove husk and silk, and cut kernels from cob.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine. Add onion and bell pepper and
saut? until tender; stir in flour and then add milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has thickened and is smooth. Remove from heat; add corn, cheddar cheese, eggs, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with bread crumbs. Set into a shallow pan of hot water and bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
1 (18 x 24-inch) sheet heavy duty aluminum foil
4 ears corn on the cob, husked
1/4 cup butter, softened
Salt and pepper to taste OR seasoning salt
2 ice cubes
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F or build a medium-high grill in campfire or barbecue.
Spread margarine on corn. Sprinkle with seasonings. Top with ice cubes. Place corn in aluminum foil. Double fold top and ends to seal making one large foil packet.. Or place ingredients in an aluminum cooking bag and seal carefully. Leave room for heat circulation inside. Bake 35 to 40 minutes on a cookie sheet in oven OR grill 15 to 20 minutes. Turn packet over once during cooking. Open carefully to avoid steam and enjoy.
8 c. raw corn, cut from cob
3 c. chopped onions
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. sweet red pepper, chopped
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. white corn syrup
7 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
3 c. cider vinegar
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Cover and boil for 15 minutes, stirring often. Pour into clean hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headroom. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars, complete seals if necessary. Yields 4 to 5 pints.
6 ears corn, silk removed and washed
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
Bacon drippings
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
Cut corn off cob, about half the thickness of the kernel, then scrape cob. Add salt, pepper and flour. Mix with 1 cup water. If too thick, add more water as the corn cooks. Pour corn mixture into a hot skillet that contains bacon drippings. As corn cooks, add margarine or butter. Cook over medium heat until corn bubbles, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Let cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often. A crust will form around and on the bottom of the skillet when done. The crust will be sweet and chewy.
1? teaspoons canola oil
4 ears fresh corn
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1? teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
? teaspoon salt
? teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup diced seeded tomato
1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
? cup chopped cilantro
Directions:
Heat grill. Brush 1? teaspoons of oil over corn. Place corn on grill and cook 20 minutes or until corn is lightly browned, turning every five minutes. Let cool; cut kernels from cobs.
Combine lemon juice and next five ingredients in a medium bowl. Add corn, tomato, cucumber and cilantro. Stir well.
Yield -- 4 servings (1 cup each)
Per serving:
Calories 137
Protein 3 g
Carbohydrate 25 g
Fat 5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 312 mg
Appropriate for the following diets: healthy family, heart healthy, vegetarian, diabetic, lactose intolerant.
1 ts Canola oil
1 sm Onion, finely chopped
2 Eggs
1 c Milk
? ts Salt
4 dr Hot pepper sauce
2 c Cooked kidney or brown beans
14 oz Can cream-style corn
This recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Heat oil over medium heat in a small nonstick skillet. Cook onion, stirring occasionally about 4 minutes or until translucent. In 6 cup casserole sprayed with nonstick coating, beat eggs, milk, salt and hot pepper sauce until smooth. Stir in beans, corn and cooked onion. Mix well. Place casserole in larger pan. Pour enough hot water into larger pan to come 2 inches up sides. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Stir mixture and bake 20 minutes longer or until tester inserted near centre comes out clean.
Very high fiber. Tex-Mex variation: Add 1/3 cup chopped pepper or 2 tsp chopped pickled jalapeno pepper.
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 1/2 cups peeled red potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
6 ounces Canadian bacon, julienned
Salt and white pepper, to taste
1. Saut? onion and garlic in oil in large saucepan until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and mustard; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add milk and corn; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer; covered, 5 minutes or until corn is cooked. Discard bay leaf. 3. Process half the vegetables and liquid in food processor or blender until smooth; return to saucepan. Stir in Canadian bacon and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Per serving:
6.8 g fat (3 g saturated)
18.1 mg cholesterol
648 mg sodium
12.8 g protein
55.3 g carbohydrate
Exchanges:
Milk: 0.5 Vegetable: 0 Fruit: 1 Bread: 3 Meat: 0 Fat: 1
1/3 c Cream-style corn or grated Fresh corn
1 Egg separated
1 tb Flour
1 tb Cornmeal Salt and pepper
1 tb Milk
1 ts Vegetable oil or enough to coat the bottom of a small skillet
Grease the skillet 1.
Place the corn in a small bowl and add the egg yolk flour meal salt and pepper. Stir well and mix in the milk.
2. Beat the egg white stiff and fold it in.
3. Oil a small skillet or griddle and spoon in the batter in desired quantities.
4. Brown on both sides over medium low heat.
It makes about seven small tablespoon sized cakes.
1/2 c Fresh corn, cut from the cob
1/4 ts Salt
Dash of pepper
1 Egg; beaten
1/2 c Milk
1 tb Butter or margarine
1/4 c Round buttery cracker crumbs -(Ritz crackers)
1 tb Butter or margarine; melted
Combine first 5 ingredients, mixing well. Pour into a lightly greased 2-cup baking dish; dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter, stirring well; sprinkle over corn mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes.
1 16 oz can creamed corn
1 16 oz can whole corn
2 beaten eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 8 oz box of cornbread mix
1 stick of butter or margarine
Dash of onion powder
1 tsp bacon bits
1 tsp finely chopped green pepper
(or 1 small jalapeno pepper - OPTIONAL)
Preheat over to 350F. Melt butter n a 8X12 inch glass baking dish in the oven. Mix all ingredients and pour into the hot buttered pan. Bake one hour until a crust forms.
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