Zucchini Corn Pizza

I'm mourning summer as we enter the second half of August and begin the slow slide into fall and winter. This was a pretty lackluster summer weather-wise. More cool, rainy days than warm, sunny ones. Less pool time than I'd like. This seems to happen every few years, unfortunately.

One good thing to come out of the cooler weather was this Zucchini Corn Pizza. Holy guacamole. A local pizza joint serves a similar pie - roasted zucchini, roasted sweet corn, poblano sour cream, hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper, olive oil, mozzarella - that we love so I wanted to try making it at home.



Even Katie, who's not the biggest zucchini fan, loved this. If you've got a bumper crop of zucchini in your garden this is a great way to use up at least one.

Zucchini Corn Pizza
As seen on Damn Delicious

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 ball pizza dough
8-oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
fresh chives, snipped
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.

Melt oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the zucchini, corn and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Lay a piece of parchment paper the size of the pizza stone on a work surface. Dust lightly with flour and roll out the pizza dough into a 12- to 14-inch circle. Top with the mozzarella and zucchini mixture. Add dollops of ricotta and spread them out a bit.

Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper to the pizza stone. Bake for 10-15 minutes, checking often to make sure the cheese is melting and browning. Remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve garnished with chives and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Warm Mexican Corn Salad {Esquites}

This is probably the fourth or fifth time I've made this Warm Mexican Corn Salad {Esquites} this summer, but I'm only just sharing it now because I never remembered to take a photo. Oops.



This is my new go-to side dish whenever I make tacos and for good reason - it's a very simple recipe to make. The hardest part is getting all that darn silk off the corn cobs (I HATE that stuff - so annoying). I've been using fresh corn, but I imagine frozen would work, too. We're getting to the tail end of corn season here in PA, so I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

I made quite a few changes and omissions to the original recipe to fit our preferences and to use what I had on hand the first time made this. This is one of those side dishes we can't stop eating and always end up fighting over the leftovers. This is enough for the three of us, which means if I ever decide to share I'll need to double or even triple the recipe.

Warm Mexican Corn Salad {Esquites}
Adapted from The Barbee Housewife

2 tablespoons butter
3 cups corn, cut from the cob {about 4 ears}
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons minced red onion
handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Chili powder, to taste
1 avocado, removed from the peel and diced
salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn. Let it sit, without stirring, so the corn starts to brown. Stir every so often until the corn is brown in spots, about 6-10 minutes.

Let the corn cool slightly, then add it to a bowl along with the mayonnaise, red onion, cilantro, lemon juice, and chili powder. Gently stir in the avocado, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve warm or keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Shrimp

We all love risotto. I see it as a blank slate, the perfect starting point for whatever combination of flavors you happen to want that day. I recently saw a recipe for Sweet Corn Risotto on Iowa Girl Eats and figured I better make it ASAP before corn season is over.



I've been on a shrimp kick lately, made possible by a sale on frozen shrimp at Acme. I love Ina Garten's method for roasting shrimp - it's so easy and flavorful. I threw in half a bag of baby spinach once the risotto was done for a little color and extra veggies and dinner was served.



This was wonderful with fresh corn, but I imagine I'll make this again multiple times this winter with frozen corn and it will be just fine. Don't let the fact that corn season is over deter you from trying this recipe.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Shrimp
Risotto from Iowa Girl Eats, roasted shrimp from Ina Garten

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced in half then into thin half moons
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups corn kernels (from 3 ears, you can also use frozen corn)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-lb shrimp (at least 21-25 or 26-30 count, you can go larger if you want)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 bag of baby spinach (3-4oz), roughly chopped

Important note: You need to soak the leeks before you start cooking. After the leeks have been cut as directed above, place them in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes. Swish them around a few times, making sure to separate all the pieces. Leeks are VERY sandy and you don't want grit in your risotto. After they've been soaking for 30 minutes, drain in a colander and rinse with fresh water.

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then turn heat down to low to keep warm.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add corn, leeks, and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Saute until leeks are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove mixture to a bowl then set aside.

Melt remaining tablespoon butter in 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet then add the shallots and saute until starting to turn tender, 2 minutes. Add rice then stir for one minute. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by the rice. Add two ladlefuls of chicken broth then stir until nearly absorbed before adding another two ladlefuls. Repeat until the rice is creamy and al dente, 25-30 minutes. Be sure to taste the risotto when you're nearing the end of the chicken broth, in case you need more.

While the risotto is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and devein the shrimp. Place them on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread them in an even layer. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through.

Remove the risotto from the heat then stir in the Parmesan cheese, corn and leek mixture, and the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve topped with the roasted shrimp.

Recipe Remake: Farmstand Corn Fritters

I can't believe I've been making these corn fritters for 7 years already. They're so easy and the flavor is incredible. The last few times I've made them Baby Girl helped by stirring all the ingredients together in the bowl.

My original post didn't even include a photo (what was I thinking?) and since that post was back in 2007 I figured it was time to bring it back from the archives while corn was still in season (although I'm cutting it a bit close). We usually eat them plain, but you could serve them with a dipping sauce or top them with mozzarella, tomato and basil. We rarely have leftovers but if you did, you could serve them with a fried egg the next morning.

If you can still get farm-fresh corn you need to make these ASAP. I'm kicking myself for not putting corn on the shopping list this week.

Farmstand Corn Fritters
As seen in Cook's Country magazine Aug/Sept 2005

3-4 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons half-and-half (can also use heavy cream)
1/2 small shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn or vegetable oil, as needed

Using a chef's knife, cut the kernels from 1 to 2 ears of corn (depending on size) and place in a large bowl. You should have about 1 cup of whole kernels. Grate the kernels from the remaining ears of corn on the large holes of a box grater. You should have a generous 1/2 cup of grated kernels. Add to the bowl with the whole kernels. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape any remaining pulp from all the cobs and put in the bowl. Stir in the egg, flour, cornmeal, cream, shallot, and salt.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop 6 heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Leave them alone until you see them starting to brown around the edges, then carefully flip them over to cook on the second side.

Transfer fritters to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt. Fry the remaining batter. Serve immediately.

Cooler Corn on the Cob

For our recent BBQ-themed dinner with C&T we had something I'd never heard of before - cooler corn on the cob. T had seen the idea on Pinterest when looking for camping meal ideas and figured it would be fun to try for our backyard BBQ. This would be awesome for parties - you can make a large amount of perfectly-cooked corn in no time flat and it keeps warm for hours.

Photo credit - T. Casey

The "recipe" is not really a recipe, just a method, but I had to share it with you guys. I'm going to offer to bring cooler corn to the next BBQ we're invited to, just to try it out for myself.

Cooler Corn on the Cob

1 cooler (small or large depending on how much corn you're making)
Corn on the cob

Wash the cooler well. Shuck the corn, removing all the outer levels and silk. Place the shucked corn in the cooler.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Pour over the corn. You want to submerge the corn. Close the lid of the cooler and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

The corn can sit in the cooler for a couple hours. When you're ready to eat, just drain off the water and enjoy.

Corn Casserole

This is one of those recipes that came into my life by chance. I had a 16oz container of sour cream that was mostly full and expiring in a few days. I asked the ladies on my cooking board for savory ideas to use it up and my friend Stephanie responded with this recipe for Corn Casserole. I was making a roast chicken for Sunday dinner and thought this would be a great side dish.

I knew this would be good but I wasn't expecting it to be incredible. There were 5 of us eating this and the only reason there was a smidge leftover was because there was chocolate pudding for dessert. It's an incredibly simple recipe that's slightly sweet and slightly savory. We couldn't stop eating it, Baby Girl especially.

The only issue I had was finding the corn in the sizes indicated in the original recipe. The small cans were 8.5 ounces and SP could only find whole-kernel corn in a 15.5-ounce can. Once I drained and rinsed the corn I weighed it and it was exactly 8.5 ounces, so I just dumped the whole thing in. It was totally fine. And if you can't find the no-salt-added corn, don't sweat it. One of my cans was and one wasn't and it was still delicious.

Corn Casserole
As seen on Stephanie Cooks, originally from Elizabeth's Edible Experience

1 egg
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 can (15.5-ounce) no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
1 small can (8.5-ounce) no-salt-added cream-style corn
1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix
8 ounces sour cream
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine everything but the cooking spray in a medium bowl and stir into well incorporated. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish (or 9x13 if you double it) with cooking spray. Pour in the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

Use a spoon to stir and mash the bread until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes or slice and serve like corn bread.

Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa

Ever have one of those days where you're super excited to make dinner only to discover you're out of one of the main ingredients? In my case I was all set to make this Chopped Chicken Taco Salad with Cheese Quesadilla Strips when I discovered the bag of Romaine hearts I thought I had in the fridge was actually half a heart that I needed for another recipe anyway. Oops.

It ended up being a happy accident, though, because these Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa were born. And that's a very, very good thing.

Really all I did was keep the recipe the same but instead of making it into a chopped salad I took the grilled chicken and added it to the quesadillas. Then I turned the rest of the salad ingredients into a corn, tomato and avocado salsa reminiscent of this grilled corn salad we all absolutely love. Win-win all around.

Once again Baby Girl asked if I'd photograph her plate, too. This kid, she kills me with the cuteness. Also note, see how she has one triangle of quesadilla on her plate? Yeah, she ended up loving these so much she ate one of my triangles and one of SP's for a total of 3 pieces (aka almost an entire quesadilla to herself). Must be a growth spurt coming on...

Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado Corn Salsa
Inspired by How Sweet It Is

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 limes, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise and trimmed of fat

cooking spray
4 burrito-size tortillas
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup sweet corn
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 red onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive olive
1 lime, juiced

The night before (or a few hours before) combine olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper in a large plastic food storage bag. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Marinate in the fridge for 2-24 hours.

Heat a grill pan over medium-heat heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and let cool for a few minutes, then cut into chunks.

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add a tortilla and cook both sides until they're spotty brown. Combine the shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar, then add 1/4th of the cheese and 1/4th of the chicken chunks. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken. Cut each quesadilla into triangles.

Combine the avocado, corn, tomatoes, and onion in a bowl, then toss with the salt and pepper. Add olive oil and lime juice, tossing well to coat. Season to taste and serve on top of the quesadillas.

Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Corn

This is one of those dinners I threw together after realizing half the ingredients I was planning to use had gone bad. My original plan was to make Mary Ellen's Pasta with Chorizo, but the chorizo had reached a birthday and the red pepper was moldy. Luckily I had some grape tomatoes and Italian sausage in the freezer so I decided to wing it.

I seasoned the dish with some creole seasoning to try to mimic the flavors in the chorizo and thought I'd toss in some frozen corn. This ended up being a little too spicy for Baby Girl but SP and I really enjoyed it.

Pasta with Sausage, Tomato and Corn
A Taste of Home Cooking Original

8 ounces short cut pasta
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
Creole seasoning, to taste
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving one cup of pasta cooking water once done. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for about three minutes, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon, until it's starting to brown.

Add the scallions to the skillet, and cook for three minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, mushrooms and creole seasoning to taste. Cook another 3 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the sausage is cooked through.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet, and cook until starting to soften, about another 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and heat for a minute. Stir in the pasta and the cheese, adding some of the reserved pasta cooking water if needed. Season with salt and pepper, if needed, then toss to combine.

Cheesy Pearl Couscous with Roasted Broccoli

A lot of the women on my cooking board are pregnant or recently gave birth so at some point over the last few months the topic of make-ahead meals came up. You know, the meals people bring to new parents so they don't have to cook while sleep-deprived and learning how to deal with their new reality. One of the meals suggested was Cheesy Pearl Couscous with Roasted Broccoli. We all love pearl couscous but I hadn't been able to find it for a long time, which meant this recipe fell to the back of my to-make pile. Then the day came when the pearl couscous reappeared in the supermarket and this dish was back on my radar.

This is a great make-ahead meal that reheats beautifully. I cooked this during the day on a Tuesday (the night I have my exercise class) and separated it into four portions plus a small bowl for Baby Girl. A few minutes in the microwave and we all had a creamy, cheesy, delicious dinner, albeit eaten and enjoyed at different points in the evening.

The original recipe calls for gouda but I had some leftover havarti and cheddar so I made the swap. It was perfect, but use whatever cheese you like, something that melts well but has a nice, distinct flavor. The creamy couscous with the slightly crispy roasted broccoli and the little nuggets of corn was addictive. Such a great, comforting meal.

Cheesy Pearl Couscous with Roasted Broccoli
As seen in Everyday with Rachael Ray

5 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
8 oz. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 box (6 oz.) Israeli or pearl couscous
8 ounces frozen corn, thawed
4 scallions, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
8 oz. grated cheddar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, melt 3 tablespoons butter in the microwave, then stir in the garlic. Spread the broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle the the garlic butter. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Reserve the skillet, discarding all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the couscous until just al dente, 5 to 6 minutes; drain.

Add the corn and scallions to the reserved skillet and cook over medium-high heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add the couscous and chicken stock and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the broccoli, cheese and reserved bacon.

BBQ Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Corn Risotto

I had one more pork tenderloin in my freezer and I always keep frozen corn on hand as well, so when this BBQ Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Corn Risotto popped into my Google Reader I immediately put it on the menu.

This was another quick and easy pork tenderloin recipe to keep in my arsenal, although I wish I'd been able to take a better photo to go with it (the pork was pink but not as pink as this picture makes it look).

BBQ Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Corn Risotto
As seen on Our Share of the Harvest

For the Pork:
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
1 1-2 lb pork tenderloin

For the Corn Risotto:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed (or fresh, if in season)
4 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and black pepper

In a small bowl, combine all spices. Rub mixture over surface of pork using as much or as little as you'd like. Keep the rest in the pantry in an air-tight container.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot skillet over medium-high heat, sear each side of tenderloin for 2-3 minutes. Place tenderloin in a small baking dish or roasting pan, coated with cooking spray, and cook in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the meat has reached 145 degrees. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.

In a food processor, puree 1 cup of the corn until smooth. Heat the broth on the stovetop in a medium pot.

In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth and the pureed corn. Cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue cooking with the remaining broth, adding 1 cup at a time and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup.

After the last cup of broth has been absorbed, let the risotto cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add the remaining cup of corn and thyme; cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the scallions, Parmesan, salt and black pepper to taste.

Bacon Corn Hash with Fried Eggs

I had some leftover corn on the cob and about half a 5-lb bag of Yukon gold potatoes from vacation that weren't getting any younger. Not wanting to waste food I was thinking about making some sort of hash with the potatoes when I remembered this post from Smitten Kitchen for Bacon Corn Hash with Fried Eggs. Sold!

I made a few changes to her recipe, the main one being adding some onion in addition to the scallions. I love onions and potatoes together and knew this would be a great addition. I also used the Yukon golds since that's what I needed to use up. This was delicious, especially with the fried eggs on top. The bacon and eggs made it hearty enough to enjoy for dinner. I had the leftovers for brunch the next day and added some salsa and a dollop of sour cream, which made this even better, so much better that I'm modifying the directions below to include them as optional (but I highly recommend it).

Bacon Corn Hash
Modified from Smitten Kitchen

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into small dice
1 pound potatoes, peeled, scrubbed and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium-large ears corn, kernels cut from the cob (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
1 bundle scallions, thinly sliced
4 eggs
Sour cream (optional)
Salsa (optional)

Add bacon to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until they brown evenly, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon bits with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan, and transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

Heat the pan to medium/medium-high, making sure the bacon fat is sizzling, then add the potatoes in a single layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Let them cook for a few minutes in one place and get a bit golden underneath before turning them over and moving them around. Cook, stirring every so often, until the potatoes are browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the corn to the skillet. Saute the potatoes and corn together until the corn gets a bit brown but stays fairly crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the drained bacon, and stir the mixture together until it’s evenly warm, about 1 more minute. Remove the skillet from the burner and sprinkle the scallions (reserving a couple spoonfuls if you’d like to use them as fried egg garnish) over the hash. Season with more salt or pepper to taste, if needed.

Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and melt about 1 tablespoon butter. Crack the eggs into the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper, serve on top of a pile of bacon corn hash. Add a dollop of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa to the plate for dipping.

Ravioli with Tomato, Corn and Pesto

This was a Friday night dinner that I threw together after looking through the fridge and freezer for inspiration. We always have cheese ravioli in the freezer for Baby Girl, so that was my first stop. We also had some tomatoes a friend of mine gave me from her garden, as well as one ear of corn. I'd recently made pesto so I decided that would be the sauce.

Ravioli with Tomato, Corn and Pesto

1 ear of corn
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
Pesto
1 lb cheese ravioli, cooked according to package directions

Microwave the corn, 4 minutes per ear, inside the husk. Carefully remove from the microwave (it will be hot). Cut off the stem end and hold by the top, shaking to loosen the corn. Or just peel off the husks. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a bowl. Add the diced tomatoes.

Add the cooked and drained ravioli to the bowl with the corn and tomatoes. Toss to combine, then add pesto starting with 1 tablespoon, tossing to coat each time until there's enough sauce.

Sweet Corn with Zucchini and Basil

Once again I found myself with a few ears of corn and no idea what to make. Thankfully Nichole had just posted this recope for Fried Sweet Corn with Basil Butter. I also had half a huge zucchini to use up, so I decided to add it to the corn to bump up the veggies.

Sweet Corn with Zucchini and Basil
Slightly modified from The Cookaholic Wife

1/2 large zucchini (or 1 small zucchini), shredded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups corn kernels (about 4 ears)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, minced
Salt and pepper

Place shredded zucchini in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Transfer zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the moisture.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn, zucchini, garlic and basil and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until the corn is lightly browned and making popping noises.

Transfer to a dish, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Summer Weekend Pasta

If this Summer Weekend Pasta had tomatoes in it I'd call it summer in a bowl. Tomatoes, zucchini and corn signify summer to me. I can't get enough of any of them from June to August.

This was a great, simple pasta to throw together. I think I'm going insane because the bacon almost seemed superfluous. How is that possible? I found myself thinking if only I'd left it out this would be a vegetarian meal.

I used regular green zucchini and upped the corn to 3 ears because Baby Girl was snacking on the corn kernels as I prepped dinner. I also upped the garlic to 3 cloves and minced it so I could leave it in rather than remove a whole clove after cooking. I decided to saute the corn and zucchini rather than leave it raw. I did find the pasta to be a little dry since there really isn't any sauce, but a little extra pasta water or even chicken (vegetable) broth would fix that.

Summer Weekend Pasta
Slightly modified from Food 52

Salt
1 pound orecchiette or small shells
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2-3 ears corn, kernels cut from the cobs, juices and all
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons roughly chopped or torn basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Save 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Grate the zucchini on a box grater. Gather the gratings in a bowl and salt the squash, about 1 1/2 teaspons coarse kosher salt. Toss to mix. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes. Place zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and ring dry. You want to remove as much of a liquid as you can.

Meanwhile, spread the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. If there are more than 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan, remove the extra fat so you are left with only 2 tablespoons. Add the zucchini, corn and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the red pepper flakes.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper. Add the bacon and basil. Toss again. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water. Spoon into shallow bowls and top with grated cheese.

Pasta Carbonara with Corn

One of my good friends, and senior year of college roommate, L, came to visit last week. She's a California girl and was back home visiting her family. I'm so glad we were able to get together while she was in town and even more excited that I got to cook for her. We met our junior year when we both studied abroad in England, so it seemed fitting that I had Pasta Carbonara with Corn on the menu the night she ate with us. As I mentioned waaaaay back in August 2006 when I first started this blog, I discovered carbonara in England (of all places) my junior year abroad with my very dear friend, S. We ate it everywhere we could find it. Making carbonara with L, even this variation with the corn, brought back memories of our time together in England. Man, we had a blast. Hard to believe it's been 11 years already.


Anyway, this luscious carbonara was inspired by this Rachael Ray recipe for Pasta Carbonara with Corn and Chiles. I had great success adding asparagus to my carbonara, so corn seemed like a great idea. I ended up combining my usual method for making carbonara with the flavor profile from Rachael's recipe, omitting the chiles because I didn't want it to be spicy.


This was a real winner that would be even more amazing with fresh Jersey corn straight off the cob. You all know my carbonara obsession is legendary but the addition of the corn was wonderful. I love crunching those kernels under my teeth. This is a great summer version of carbonara, made lighter by the corn and the fresh herbs. Everyone cleaned their plates, including Baby Girl.

Pasta Carbonara with Corn
Inspired by Nigella Lawson and Everyday with Rachael Ray

1 pound spaghetti
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
2 cups corn
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup vermouth
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon until crispy but not crunchy. Add the onions and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the corn and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and parsley, then pour in the vermouth and let it bubble so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty winey syrup left. Take the pan off the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, pepper and nutmeg. When the pasta is done, remove approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Add the drained pasta to the bacon and corn mixture, tossing well to coat with the syrupy sauce. Add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if needed. Grind over some more pepper to serve.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro

Corn. Mushrooms. Cilantro. Three very simple ingredients that come together to make a side dish that we couldn't stop eating.


When my friend Melissa recommended the Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin she insisted I serve it with White Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro. I trust her advice completely so I went with it. After all, it contains two of SP's favorite things - corn and mushrooms. How could it be bad?


Since corn isn't in season yet I used frozen yellow corn. SP came home with regular white mushrooms instead of crimini, but they worked out just fine. I think the crimini would only make this better but aren't necessary. If you're using frozen corn this dish takes almost no time to prepare, which makes it a perfect weeknight side dish. Since I'm a spice wimp I used maybe 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, but adjust to your spice preference.

SP was in love with this entire meal and told me I could make it again and again, whenever I wanted.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro
Alosha's Kitchen

4 tablespoons butter, divided
8-12oz crimini mushrooms, stems removed and cut into a small dice
5 ears fresh white corn, husks removed and kernels cut from cobs (or 3 cups frozen)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. When butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until softened and browned.

Reduce heat to medium high. Add corn, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Continue to saute until corn kernels are softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.

Summer Sweet Corn Fettuccine

I love corn. I love pasta. I love bacon. When I saw them combined in this recipe for Summer Sweet Corn Fettuccine I was excited. I'd never seen corn and pasta together before but I was eager to try it.


I knew SP and I wouldn't like the red pepper in Cassie's recipe so when my friend Melissa mentioned this recipe for Fettuccini with Summer Corn, Bacon, and Shiitake Mushrooms I decided to combine the two, basically subbing the mushrooms for the red pepper.

I wanted to like this, I really did, but it suffered from a common problem in my house - whenever I cook pasta and mix it with the sauce before SP gets home from work the pasta immediately soaks up all the liquid and I'm stuck with dry pasta. I misjudged his arrival time and by the time I served up the pasta there was no sauce left. I need to remember to toss everything together at the last minute to avoid this problem in the future.



Summer Sweet Corn Fettucine
Adapted from Cassie Craves and Evil Chef Mom

Salt
1 pound fettuccine
6 slices bacon, chopped
6 ears corn on the cob, shucked
1 onion, finely chopped
12-oz mushrooms, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
A few dashes of hot sauce
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sweet basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for a few minutes until rendered and crisp.

Put a small bowl inverted into a large bowl, steady the corn cobs on the smaller bowl and cut the kernels off the ears. Add three-quarters of the scraped corn and any corn liquid to the pan with the bacon. Add the onions and mushrooms and liberally season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the remaining corn and half-and-half to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour the stock into the corn and vegetables and simmer over low heat for a minute to reduce. Stir in the thyme and corn-cream mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add the hot sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the sauce just before serving and toss with Parmesan cheese. Top with basil and serve.

Creamed Corn

I was looking through the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine and came across this recipe for Creamed Corn. Corn, bacon, salt and pepper - what could be easier?


I changed the method slightly based on what I do for my corn fritters and I think the result was pretty amazing. Sweet corn and salty bacon is a great combination.

Creamed Corn
Modified from Food Network Magazine

6 slices bacon
8 large cobs fresh corn, preferably white, shucked and cleaned
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

In a large skillet, (seasoned cast iron does well here) cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Turn off the heat and transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Reserve the drippings in the pan.

Using a chef's knife, cut kernels from 4 ears of corn and place in a large bowl. Grate the kernels from the remaining 4 ears of corn on the large holes of a box grater. Add to the bowl with the whole kernels. Using the back of the knife, scrape any remaining pulp from all the cobs and put in the bowl. Return the skillet to medium-low heat, and add the corn kernels.

Season corn lightly with salt and pepper and cook until broken down and creamy, about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often; add water if the pan gets too dry. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Crisp bacon can be crumbled over the creamed corn when serving or reserved for another use. If you have bacon drippings on hand, use 1/4 cup for this recipe.

Catching Up

I've been horrible about updating this blog lately. Ever since having Baby Girl I've lost my groove in the kitchen. Being a working mom with a child who goes to bed at 7pm every night, I don't have much time for cooking. Or desire, to be honest. Over the past few months I've been very sporadic about even photographing meals, let alone blogging. I've decided to try to get back into it, though, so here's a look at what we've eaten recently.

A cheesesteak hoagie:


Breaded chicken, rice pilaf, green beans and sliced fresh tomato with basil:


Takeout shrimp scampi over spaghetti (insanely delicious):


Panfried chicken with boxed scalloped potatoes and tomato and avocado salad:


Steak dinner with corn fritters, loaded baked potato salad and sliced tomatoes:


These corn fritters are SO amazing:

I made up my own recipe for loaded baked potato salad, which included bacon, scallions and cheddar cheese:

The next night I used leftover corn fritters as a bed for ham and fried eggs:

This recipe for cheesy chicken with mushrooms was simple and delicious:

The cheese-stuffed tomatoes were good, but not cheesy enough:

Meatloaf Muffins

Meatloaf muffins are one of my favorite ways to cook meatloaf. Everything is already portioned out and it only takes 30 minutes to cook.


For these I added salsa and breadcrumbs to the meatloaf mix, then topped each muffin with ketchup. Mashed potatoes and corn rounded out the meal.