Tag Archives: corn

Baby Potatoes with Tomato-Corn Sauté

Memorial Day weekend is finally here and even though it’s rainy here in the Northeast, I’ll happily take the extra day off to chill out, relax and widdle away the stresses of working life.  While I don’t have any real plans for the weekend, hopefully some of you are getting out there and enjoying yourselves, either at the beach, the park, the lake or wherever it is that you love to go most.  We’re entering the season of grilling and cookouts so for the unofficial start of summer I’m giving you Baby Potatoes with Tomato-Corn Sauté.

Baby potatoes are mixed with olive oil, corn, grape tomatoes and garlic to give you a simple sort-of potato salad that travels well and can be eaten hot or cold.  No mayonnaise means no worrying about taking this dish to an outdoor event and with summer corn and bright tomatoes, what a better dish to kick off the summer.  Topped with fresh cilantro and salty parmesan cheese, these potatoes get the slightest kick from red pepper flake and will be a great addition to any get-together you might be attending this weekend.  Get out, enjoy the weather and have yourselves a fantastic weekend!

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The ingredients:

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Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until tender; drain.

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Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add corn, garlic, salt and red pepper flake to pan; sauté 2 minutes.

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Add potatoes and tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute.

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Top with cilantro and cheese.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Crushed garlic

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light magazine

Scalloped Corn

When I was a kid, one of the only vegetables I let near my mouth without a grimace and scowl was corn.  I could eat corn with every meal and especially loved mixing corn with my applesauce (don’t ask).  This dish of Scalloped Corn was a dish my mom would sometimes make at holidays and takes me back each and every time I have it.  It’s one of those dishes that will forever remind me of childhood, cozy fires, cookies in the oven and Christmas music playing subtly in the background.  Which to me, is the best possible compliment for a dish.

Simple canned corn and canned creamed corn is mixed together with onion, pepper, milk, an egg and crushed saltine crackers (bread crumbs or any kind of cracker will also work).  The concoction resembles something close to slop but once cooked and thickened, it’s a true celebration of corn’s sweet freshness and comfort.  I don’t include the pepper when I make this dish but only because I didn’t eat peppers as a kid so my mom left them out.  Just because I eat peppers now doesn’t mean I’m changing a good thing.  My only recommendation is that you double this recipe because as it is, it doesn’t make much.  I double it even when I’m the only person eating it.  Also, I have to leave this in the oven for double the amount of time recommended (60-70 minutes total) because it needs to be baked until no longer runny in the center.  An hour may seem long but trust me, the long cooking time will make it worth it.  I didn’t take pictures of my cooking process for this but I do have a few of the finished product.

Scalloped Corn (makes 4 small servings)

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped green or red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup crushed saltine crackers
  • 1 8 3/4-ounce can cream-style corn
  • 1 7-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained

Cook onion and pepper in 1 tablespoon of butter until soft and tender.  Combine egg, milk, 1/3 cup crackers, and dash of black pepper.  Stir in onion mixture and corn.  Pour into a 1-quart dish.  Melt remaining butter and toss with remaining cracker crumbs.  Sprinkle crumb mixture over corn mixture.  Bake in a 350°F oven about 35 minutes (or 70 minutes if doubling the recipe) or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Additions:  None

Omissions:

  • Green pepper

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil

What is it about pasta salad that makes it such a good go-to dish to make when attending a warm weather get-together?  A few weekends ago, my friend had a few people over to swim at her pool and like the great hostess that she is, she had plenty of food and snacks waiting for guests upon arrival.  When I walked into her kitchen, I saw the biggest bowl of homemade pasta salad and turned to look at the friend I arrived with who was carrying her own container of homemade pasta salad.  We both just shrugged because, really, can you ever have too much pasta salad?  Ironically, earlier that morning, I had every intention on making Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil to take to the party but decided I didn’t have enough time.  Probably a good thing.

Even though pasta can sometimes be heavy, there is something about a cold, light pasta salad when it’s warm out that hits the spot.  This colorful pasta salad is made with orzo (rice-shaped pasta) and fresh ingredients of corn, tomatoes, and basil.  The whole mixture is livened up with a refreshing and simple vinaigrette of lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.  I took a short-cut and used thawed frozen corn in place of fresh and didn’t really notice a difference.  I think canned would work here too.  Next time you think about making a pasta salad for a summer event, consider making this.  Just call first dibs on whose bringing the pasta salad.

The ingredients:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  While the pasta cooks, combine lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic in a small bowl.  Set aside. 

Drain pasta and place in a large bowl.  Pour half of the dressing over orzo and toss.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  

Once pasta is at room temperature, add the remaining dressing, corn, tomato, and basil to pasta and toss to coat.  Let pasta salad stand for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Additions:  None

Omissions: 

  • Red onion

Substitutions:  None

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

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