corn

Crockpot Corn Chowder

This Crockpot corn chowder recipe uses a creamy almond milk and cashew milk blend to create a healthy, veg-heavy chowder with a bacon bite.

Healthier Crockpot Corn Chowder

Again this year I’m happy to share that I’m partnering with Blue Diamond AlmondBreeze to share healthful recipes made with Almondmilk. Today we’re adding something brand new to the mix, Almond Breeze’s new Almondmilk Cashewmilk Blend.

It’s January. And that means three things.

#1: Everyone is on the healthy no-s0-heavy-on-the-gravy-train.

#2: It’s all about the soup.

And #3: It’s time to slow cooker and Crockpot everything.

At our house we love a chunky soup. A broth with girth. With bite. And flavor.

This easy corn chowder recipe stars one of my husband’s favorite vegetables, corn. And his other favorite vegetable, bacon. Yes, in his mind bacon is a vegetable. Or at least a food group. And when paired together with this creamy, slow cooked broth they make a souper good soup. Uh-oh, I’m on a roll.
continue to the recipe… about Crockpot Corn Chowder

Mexican Corn Dip (Hot or Cold!)

Whether it’s served melty hot or crunchy cold, this easy Mexican corn dip made with roasted green chiles, mayonnaise, cotija cheese, and chile powder will seriously have you considering the double chip dip.

This recipe is brought to you by Kettle Brand

I couldn’t really call myself a party thrower until I had a handful of easy potato chip dip recipes mastered and stuffed under my belt.

So by now, after eight years of sharing recipes here on la FoodieCrush and armed with a load of appys that have become reader favorites, I should be capable of throwing a damn fine soirée. And actually—as I no-big-deal brush the selft-congratulatory-dust off my shoulders—I do.

This Mexican corn dip is just one of the chip dip recipes that always delivers. It’s based on the popular Mexican street corn known as elotes, or more aptly named in this stripped-off-the-cob salad-esque-form, as esquites. It’s light, it’s fresh, and it’s primo with chips.continue to the recipe… about Mexican Corn Dip (Hot or Cold!)

Cheddar and Jalapeño Skillet Cornbread

Crispy on the bottom but moist on the inside, this easy jalapeño cornbread is kicked up with jalapeños, creamed corn, cheddar cheese and green onions, and is a family favorite.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread Recipe

You know how they say owners start to resemble their dogs (as evidenced here)? I think the same thing may be happening to me, but with the food I eat.

Spicy and sweet…Yep, that’s me. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside…Sure, I’ll admit to that. And, why yes, I do melt every time I come into contact with butter.

Just like the food I like to eat, I’m a contradiction in terms.

I’ve become a spicy-sweet, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, better-with-butter humanoid version of…cornbread.

So does this mean I need to turn my bed into a cast iron skillet?

My mother-in-law, Pat, is a master at Southern cooking. As a little girl growing up in Arkansas and the second to youngest of 7 children, she would ask her her mom if she could help her cook but her mom was too busy putting from scratch food on the table for the large family to become a teacher too. “It was just easier for mother to do it herself,” so my MIL was more often shushed off to set the table instead.

But Pat paid attention. She watched. She learned from the sidelines. And she took those lessons through life to develop her own cooking style.

The other night Pat made this jalapeño cornbread recipe for us. Unlike her mother, Pat is happy to share her how to’s in the kitchen, even when I ask a million questions and sometimes interject a few ideas of my own.

But Pat takes it all in stride. She knows her way is the best way, and her way always starts in true Southern form.continue to the recipe… about Cheddar and Jalapeño Skillet Cornbread

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

This classic Thanksgiving side is now even easier to make thanks to a little help from your slow cooker! CrockPot creamed corn uses just 5 ingredients and requires very little prep work.

You know that thing about Thanksgiving? That thing that everyone’s talking about? No, not that the 5th Avenue slick thinkers have yet to figure out how to turn T-day into a money making marketing machine like Halloween and Christmas.

No, I’m talking about how everybody is talking about how Thanksgiving conjures up cravings for family favorite recipes. It’s like clockwork. As soon as the jack-o-lantern’s candles are blown out, memories start flooding the salivary glands.

My husband has certainly fallen victim to this pilgrim-inspired condition. But wait, he’s part American-Indian. Either way, whichever side of the table he’s sitting on, as along as this 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamed Corn is on it, he’s going to be one happy harvest feaster.

But only if his favorite Creamed Corn doesn’t turn into Creamed Corn Flambé.

Yes, it happens. And it did, one Thanksgiving a “few” years back when we lived in California and cooked Thanksgiving for our visiting family.

His recipe, a family favorite his mom always made, was topped with crumbled Saltine crackers and may have been forgotten somewhere between the champagne being corked and the martini olives poked. He was crushed, his cravings were dashed. Look at that face. We grabbed a camera to snap a pic. I don’t think it made him feel better.

That Thanksgiving will forever be known as the dinner with Creamed Corn Flambé. See? Thanksgiving DOES create memories.

Potentially starting the house on fire is just one reason we’ve migrated to the slow cooker. No flambé crackers to forget about and set the smoke alarm ablaze. Just a low, slow cook to create a creamy family fave.

Another bonus: When Tom Turkey is showing his true colors and taking up residence as the traditional oven hog, and the rolls are patiently waiting in need to be baked and Yam Souffle is waiting on deck, this CrockPot creamed corn won’t be yet another demanding side dish standing in line.

Did I mention there are only 5 ingredients? And minimal clean-up thanks to my new blender and double sided lid slow cooker that KitchenAid sent to me to give a spin.

Okay, let’s do this T-day thing.

What’s in Creamed Corn?

In case you didn’t get the memo, this CrockPot creamed corn uses just five ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Frozen corn
Half and half
Cream cheese
Butter
Sugar
Kosher salt and pepper

How to Make CrockPot Creamed Corn

This creamed corn with cream cheese couldn’t be easier to make. You first add the half and half and some thawed corn into a blender and puree. Then, add everything into the slow cooker and walk away.

This slow cooker creamed corn needs to cook on high for 90 minutes, or on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Before serving, stir the creamed corn to incorporate the melted cream cheese. I like to garnish my CrockPot creamed corn with chives, but that’s optional.

Can I Make This with Canned Corn?

I’ve only made this with frozen corn, so I’m not sure how using canned corn would affect the flavor. If you do use canned corn, I imagine you’d need to thoroughly rinse and drain it before adding it to the slow cooker.

Is There a Half-and-Half Substitute I Can Use?

No, half-and-half is a key ingredient in this slow cooker creamed corn. You may be able to get away with using whole milk instead, but I can’t say for sure.

Tips for Making CrockPot Creamed Corn

You want to use brick-style cream cheese for this Thanksgiving corn recipe and not the whipped kind that comes in a tub. Brick-style cream cheese makes for creamier, thicker CrockPot creamed corn.

Don’t skip the sugar in this recipe. Creamed corn is traditionally a little sweet, but the sugar isn’t overpowering.

Set your CrockPot to the “warm” setting so the creamed corn stays warm throughout the meal. Leftovers reheat well on the stove or in the microwave.

More Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Master

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

5 from 1 vote

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

This classic Thanksgiving side is now even easier to make thanks to a little help from your slow cooker! CrockPot creamed corn uses just 5 ingredients and requires very little prep work.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword corn

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Servings 10 cups

Calories 295 kcal

Ingredients

48 ounces frozen corn about 8 cups, thawed
1/2 cup half and half
10 ounces cream cheese torn into chunks
4 tablespoons butter ½ stick, sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
chives for garnish if desired

Instructions

Pour half and half in a blender with 1 cup of corn and puree until smooth. In a 3 ½ to 4 quart slow cooker add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over high heat for 1 ½ hours or low heat setting for 3-4 hours.
Stir the corn to incorporate the melted cream cheese. Season with more kosher salt or pepper to taste and garnish with chopped chives if desired.

Nutrition Facts

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Amount Per Serving

Calories 295 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 48mg16%

Sodium 143mg6%

Potassium 455mg13%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 569IU11%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 47mg5%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Side Dishes That Feature Corn

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KitchenAid sent me a slow cooker and blender to add to my small appliance collection. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

How to Make the Best Grilled Corn On the Cob

At our house, sweet corn is a summer staple and after years of experimenting, I’ve found cooking corn right in their husks on a hot grill is the only way to cook the best corn on the cob.

three ears of grilled corn slathered with compound butter

One of the reasons I crave summer is ’tis the season for fresh, sweet corn and surprisingly, my husband’s obsession with the husked and cobbed sphere is even greater than my own.

We grill just about anything and everything we can get our hands on during the summertime, and fresh corn is one of our favorites. While I’ll eat it just about any way — stripped right off the cob and raw, tossed in potluck quinoa salads, or turned into slow cooker creamed corn perfect for every eating occasion, grilled sweet corn on the cob with creamy butter takes the cake.

Grilled corn a delicious way to spruce up fresh salads, tacos and salsas, macaroni and cheese, and it makes an irresistible and easy side to your backyard BBQ. I love the subtle smokiness and the beautiful char marks grilling imparts on the corn and it is SO MUCH EASIER than boiling corn on the cob, especially when you’re cooking for a crowd.

Some people may be a tad intimidated by grilling corn, but I’m here to tell you that it’s a breeze. We’ve found there’s no need to soak the corn before grilling and you can grill them right in their husks, creating built-in steam oven jackets.

Follow the easy steps below and you’ll soon discover grilled corn bliss.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Grilled Corn On the Cob

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

This easy chicken tortilla soup is truly chicken soup for the soul, with a warm broth filled with chunky bites of black beans, sweet corn, shredded chicken and tomatoes topped with its namesake tortilla strips and a surprise crispy jalapeño topper.

This recipe is brought to you by French’s

“Honey, what should we have for dinner?”

Gah. The question to end all questions, and the same one that comes up day after day, week after week. But over the years I’ve developed a strategy that serves the family’s cravings and makes dinner prep so much easier, just about every time.

I narrow the choices to get the answer I want.

“Well, I prepped a batch of chicken breasts for the week (even though he prefers steak, we gotta use those chicks up!) and I have our yummy chicken stock in the freezer (because I’m on a clean-out-the-freezer mission). So, are you craving comfort food flavors (we all love our Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup) or maybe something with Mexican flavor and spice? You love Mexican…”, I steer him, already knowing that spices and ethnic flavors win at our house every time.continue to the recipe… about Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Grilled Corn Salad with Tomato and Avocado

When fresh corn and tomatoes are at their summer best, this easy salad with creamy avocados that’s simply dressed with a hint of Mexican jalapeño, lime juice, and garlic, is a healthy recipe that’s sure to become the star side dish of every potluck and barbecue you make it for.

Corn. It’s my husband’s veggie kryptonite. Me? Avocado and tomato are what light my fire.

And the combo of all three is what’s kept this summer salad in regular rotation on our dinner table, and we’re barely into June!

The simple flavors of this salad is in it’s combination of fresh, sweet corn on the cob (that’s even sweeter after a sear on the grill) added to creamy avocado and juicy tomatoes, is hands down this summer’s salad-facsimile of the little black dress—because it literally goes with everything.

Playing With Fire by Michael Symon

This side salad recipe comes from Iron Chef and The Chew Host Michael Symon’s new cookbook Playing With Fire:BBQ and More from the Grill, Smoker, and Fireplace where he shares loads of tips, tricks, and totally achievable grilling and barbeque recipes that any home chef can master.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Corn Salad with Tomato and Avocado

31 Days of Summer Produce Recipes to Make in August

These 31 easy, healthy recipe ideas for summer produce are what make the living easy this month!

There’s nothing quite like biting into that first peach with juice dribbling steadily down your chin. Or the taste of summer’s first BLT stacked high with tomatoes still warm from the garden—you know, the one that requires at least five napkins.

Ah summer, there are so many reasons why we love you but your fresh fruits and veg are at the tops of our list.

With a jam-packed calendar of fitting in each and every summer picnic, take-it-to-the-beach day, and potluck soirée, summer’s favorite, fresh seasonal eats are more in demand this month than ever. Thankfully, there’s produce aplenty come each and every August so that seasonal farmers market gems are easily making their way into all of our meals.

For our eighth installment of our 31 Days Series, we’re going seasonal, baby, so it’s all about tender squash, juicy tomatoes, and corn so sweet you could get a toothache. We’re frequenting the farmers market and stocking up like its our job, because this summer bounty won’t be around for too much longer. So grab your best market tote and let’s hit the stalls!continue to the recipe… about 31 Days of Summer Produce Recipes to Make in August

Chilled Corn and Crab Soup

Sweet corn kernels and fresh snow crab meat make this simple chilled soup a summer-time staple that’s made with almondmilk for a lightened-up, creamy slurp that takes only 30 minutes to prepare.

This post is brought to you by Almond Breeze

Just a few days ago, I saw reports all over the news that 2017 is on-track to being the second hottest year on record—only to be outdone by 2016’s hottest year ever, with 2015 right behind. So whether you’re finding yourself plumped up like a slippery hot dog in the humidity-fueled heat of the deep South, or topping out the thermometer in the hot and arid desert temps of the West, there’s one thing we can all agree on: It’s stinkin’ hot out there.

Heat like this leaves me with little appetite, and when I am hungry, it’s for something light, fresh, and typically topped with avocado, because what on earth isn’t better and more soothing with avocado?

This corn and crab soup is just the ticket. It’s simple but elegant at the same time. It’s healthy, and light in flavor and in calories. And with the addition of two of my favorite flavorings—a sprinkle of chipotle powder and a squeeze of lime—in the words of Emeril, this soup’s flavor is kicked up a notch.

While this recipe’s original intention is to be served chilled, it can certainly be served warm to be enjoyed all year long. I can easily see it being added to any holiday menu or meal-prepped for a week of easy workday lunches. continue to the recipe… about Chilled Corn and Crab Soup

Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad

Summer salads like this Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad with black beans, corn, avocado, and crunchy romaine lettuce topped with an easy 5-ingredient homemade BBQ sauce are more than just a first course, they make the meal.

Someone recently interviewed me and asked me what was the one food I couldn’t live without. Obviously that is a very loaded question for someone who spends their days thinking, creating and obsessing over what to eat and to cook.

I surveyed myself and did the count-off. Chocolate. Cheese. Eggs. Avocados. Wine. Pasta. Oh man, the list goes on and on. But I couldn’t really narrow it down to just one ingredient, because it’s actually a whole dish I crave over and over again, every day.

Salad.

I LOVE salad. Whether it’s a simple lettuce and dressing affair, or a full blown all-in-one-meal-deal like this BBQ chicken recipe situation, salad is the rock to my Gibralter and if I was on a desert island, I’d want to be swimming in my leafy greens.

continue to the recipe… about Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad

5-Ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

Crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-incredibly easy, these chipotle pepper flavored chicken taquito roll-ups call for just 5 ingredients and can be baked or fried for a super fast appetizer, dinner or snack.

When I was a teenager in high school, my friends and I would sprint from 4th period class and load into my friend Brenda’s car (lucky for us she had a very early 16th birthday and a mom who gave her free use of the car), roll down the windows, and crank up Madonna’s “Borderline” as we high-tailed it to one of our two favorite spots for lunch.

The first spot was Rax Roast Beef where I always ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich. The second spot was Taco Time, where the crispy bean burritos with extra packets of mild salsa would always leave me with blisters in my mouth because they were hot out of the fryer and it was torture to wait until they cooled to eat them. I can STILL smell their crispy aroma lingering in my memory bank.

Taco Time was usually first on our list because in the newspaper each week they would include a promotional brown paper sack that when you took to Taco Time, you could get 5 tacos, crispy bean burritos, or soft beef burritos for $1.00. Or was it $2.00? Either way, as a high schooler with no money, it was a total steal.

Back then I didn’t know that my crispy bean burritos loved by cheap teenagers are known in more authentically-inclined parts of the country as taquitos, or even more authentically known world wide as flautas.

Either which way, they’re simple to make and deliciously good and this time around, made with chile-spiced shredded chicken.continue to the recipe… about 5-Ingredient Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

This lighter version of a popular restaurant’s favorite salad is packed with awesome flavor from BBQ-grilled chicken breast, jalapeños, cilantro, spiced tortilla chips, and a creamy homemade ranch dressing!

Back in the day when I had office co-workers who weren’t four-legged, who didn’t bark every time someone (or something) walked down the street, and weren’t continually nudging me with their nose for a scratch as I worked, I actually had office besties who walked rather well on two legs as we headed to Westwood’s California Pizza Kitchen to get our favorite CPK Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad for lunch.

Oh, those were the days.

These days, I’m still a fan of that CPK Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, but not so much a fan of the calories I consume whenever I eat it. That’s why I created my own lighter version that still totally delivers on flavor and cures my salad as a meal cravings.

continue to the recipe… about BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Latin Chipotle Quinoa Salad with Avocado

This simple Mexican-style quinoa salad gets tons of flavor from a dressing of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce sweetened over crunchy veggies, black beans and huge chunks of avocado.

Be forewarned, this might be one of those recipes you make once, then the next time you make it you’ll want to adapt it to suit your taste.

Than you chipotle peppers.

I think that challenge might be why they’re one of my favorite flavors, because they always keep me guessing.

I had this salad after picking it up at the grocery store when visiting my sister in Houston. I knew immediately I had to figure it out and share it here. I hope I’ve done it justice.

Word is, I did.

I took this salad to a 4th of July bbq and one of my friends who is gluten-free was SO happy someone had brought something besides pasta salad. Grateful even. I’m just here to make people happy to eat food. It’s my job.

continue to the recipe… about Latin Chipotle Quinoa Salad with Avocado

Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Classic Southwestern flavors, corn, rice, and lean ground beef make this rainbow of bell peppers a favorite, healthy dinner your whole family will enjoy.

This post and it’s rainbow of healthy flavors is sponsored by AMCO Select One Produce.

Last week I saw a lot of change and said goodbye to few favorites.

October is done. Bye bye! Daylight savings? You’ve ticked your last tock. And probably the worst of the worst signs that summer has officially had the nail driven into its sunshine-filled coffin: My husband cleared out all of the plants from the garden to make way for old man winter.

Goodbye garden tomatoes. So long to my spindly pepper plants. You were a food bounty all summer long and you’ll be missed.

Or will you?

These days, none of us have to feel fresh-from-the-garden-challenged now that we’re moving into the colder months because garden fresh veggies are readily available in grocery aisles 365 days a year. Well, there may be a day off for Christmas and an early closing hour for Thanksgiving, but I think you get my gist.

continue to the recipe… about Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Zucchini and Fresh Corn Farmers’ Market Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

This raw salad gets its spunk from a garlicky-lemon basil vinaigrette that lightly marinates the thin squash peels and freshly shucked corn kernels.

This salad is proof that you don’t always have to have a plan.

Sometimes the best dishes are created on the fly, without intention or strategy. If you just let intuition take over.

Ingredients don’t always lend you inspiration right off the bat. They reveal themselves in good time. I think this salad captures the essence of summer — bright and fresh, lazy and satisfying.

After a visit to the farmers’ market one recent Saturday, FoodieCrush contributor Hayley found herself with a bounty of veggies and no idea what to do with them. Feeling hungry, but not particularly ambitious, she decided to throw together this summer salad.

Hayley loved it so much she knew it needed to be on the blog because with just one bite, she divined three revelations.

“1. Why don’t I shave squash more often? It’s so pretty,” she questioned.

“2. I can’t say “summer salad” without thinking of I Love you, Man.”

“And, 3. I just made a raw salad for dinner. And it was really good. And very adult of me.”

Nice job Hayley, and welcome to grownup-land and the world of raw. Now how about that recipe so the rest of us can enjoy it too?

continue to the recipe… about Zucchini and Fresh Corn Farmers’ Market Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Grilled Corn With Spicy Buffalo Butter

Easy grilled summer corn gets a kick in the tastebuds with a slathering of yummy buffalo sauce and blue cheese-spiked compound butter.

My husband has three fetishes when it comes to eating seasonally come summer.

First, watermelon. Seedless please.

Second, cucumbers. Even though he’s allergic to them he still puts us through listening to him clear his throat for minutes at a time because he can’t stop eating them. Lovely.

And third, corn. Corn, corn, corn.

Virtually every menu we’ve grilled up this summer has been peppered with the addition of grilled corn. Corn with burgers. Corn with ribs. Corn with chicken. And yes, even corn with (and on) pizza. While we’ve certainly been known to toss the cobs into the big stock pot to cook for a mere minute or three, our most favorite way to enjoy it is cooking it alongside whatever else is on the grill to make it, “charred corn for the win!”

However, corn would be nothing without butter. And this blue cheese buffalo compound butter is all about the slather. Off your chin. Like this butter is guaranteed to be.

continue to the recipe… about Grilled Corn With Spicy Buffalo Butter

Southwest Quinoa and Grilled Corn Salad

This healthy salad features protein-packed quinoa and beans, grilled corn, queso, and a yummy honey-lime vinaigrette, for an easy and delicious side dish.

I’m partial to recipes that put me somewhere in the vicinity of where their flavors hail from.

New England Clam Chowder. Texas Toast. California Cobb. Baltimore Pit Beef Sandwiches. Long Island Ice Tea. Clink-a-link with that loaded drinky drink.

I suppose I think if I close my eyes and simply say the dish’s name over and over, then take a bite, maybe it will teleport me to a seaside port or salty desert oasis.

Sort of I Dream of Jeannie-esque, except I’m wishing for food instead of my master. Or maybe they’re one in the same?

I served this recipe at my daughter’s family birthday party to several quinoa virgins who were more than pleased with their second helpings. Or maybe thirds?

continue to the recipe… about Southwest Quinoa and Grilled Corn Salad

Charred Corn with Rosemary Grilled Pizza and Crushing On Naturally Ella

Sweet grilled corn, fresh rosemary, mozzarella and gorgonzola mingle together on an easy homemade pizza dough that’s grilled for maximum flavor and a perfect char.

There was a spate of about 6 months when I went vegetarian. My reason? I was in hopes of gaining clarity and focus on how my body felt and how my mind clicked. Paying attention to what goes into my body and how it affects me on every level was great place for me to start.

I’m not sure that I remember what bumped me off the vegetarian train. Most likely I was lured by something from the grill that I’d simply been missing on my plate and far from the fresh flavors of this charred corn grilled pizza recipe I’m sharing today.

Since then, my habit of eating more greens and whole foods going strong and thus, I follow a lot of food bloggers who espouse the vegetarian lifestyle.

One of those bloggers is Erin Alderson, the whole foods force behind the vegetarian blog Naturally Ella and the author and photographer of The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen.

So how did Erin find her vegetarian roots? It came down to a life changing event when her father suffered a massive heart attack. Discovering this was a path that ran in her family,Erin began questioning her own eating habits and her road to vegetarianism—and her food blog—began.continue to the recipe… about Charred Corn with Rosemary Grilled Pizza and Crushing On Naturally Ella

Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

Move over quinoa, there’s a new grain in town.

Well, now, wait a minute. Farro is far from new with its roots running deep, deep, deep (pun intended) and this ancient grain is making major waves in the foodie scene.

The 90’s were all about couscous (which I still adore), the 00’s saw the wave of wild and unusual rices, and who can’t open a cookbook / food blog / food magazine for the past few years without seeing the glories of quinoa being extolled from the high heavens. But do you farro? If not, you should.

Farro is one of those wonder grains that to a lot of us mainstream eaters in the U.S., seems a bit outlandish and even exotic. But is it? If you consider the grain of choice that ancient Egyptian kings dined on as exotic, then yes, exotic it is. I mean, they were KINGS! But that hardly makes this grain unapproachable or intimidating. In fact, farro might be the easiest grain of all to cook and it’s versatility will have quinoa looking hard and fast in the rear view mirror, just waiting for farro to take over it’s first place run in the superfood popularity polls.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Corn, Gouda and Farro Risotto Plus 15 More Farro Recipes You’ll Love Forever

Stovetop Pesto Macaroni and Cheese with Corn and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This week I’ve been visiting my old hood in Venice, California, where the air has been clear (surprise, no smog at the beach folks!), the sand and surf has beckoned every. single. day. and I’ve woken up each morning to the kiss of the ocean breeze coming my bedroom’s french doors.

I think I’ve finally hit my stride of relaxation and I’m lapping it up as much as I can.

Before I left for vacation I was asked to make you a summertime macaroni and cheese in honor of today being, drumroll please, National Macaroni and Cheese Day!

continue to the recipe… about Stovetop Pesto Macaroni and Cheese with Corn and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Friday Faves and a Corn Lover’s Recipe Round-Up

The midwest may lay claim to the best corn in the land (because of the farmers I talked about here and the blogger’s recipes here). I’m gonna have to toss this one to the judges, aka my corn lovin’ family, and declare, Northern Utah does a mighty fine job of supplying the sweetest kernels around.While our local varieties haven’t quite yet come in, I’m still putting Smudge to work at perfecting her skills at shucking. Isn’t that how we all started? On the porch, with a brown grocery bag stuck between our legs and corn strands stuck to every part of our arms and legs?

For Smudge, each cob becomes a sword to wield at friends or foe or much-to-their-discontent-dog trotting past. A light saber to take her into the future, and me into the past. Or this time around as a beautiful ballerina with long hair in a tutu made of corn husk.

Man, I wish my train of thought as a mom was as simple as it is for my daughter. But then, it is all about what you make it.

This week I was in Madison, WI, dodging tornado warnings and donning my fat pants to judge the Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown. 2 hours straight of eating grilled cheese sandwiches. And then someone won $10,000 when deemed as the grand prize winner. But that, I can’t yet spill the beans on.

Let’s just say I have a great job. I know I do. Because that’s what I make it.

I’ll be sharing more soon, but until then, here’s to this week’s Friday Faves.

continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and a Corn Lover’s Recipe Round-Up

The American Farmer and Iowa Corn Quest Tour

Although he’s officially handed over the reins, 82 year old farmer Bill Rempp still continues to work alongside his son Kevin on the 1,200 acre family farm in central Iowa, better known as the heartland of America. And some days—when he’s lucky—you just might find his 6-month-old great grandson, Will, in the bucket seat next to him.

Will is poised to be a seventh generation farmer in the Rempp family tree and his great grandpa proudly shared this photo with me.

I was one of several invited food bloggers who traveled to Des Moines, Iowa to learn about Iowa corn and farm-fresh foods from farmers like Bill Rempp on the annual Iowa Corn Quest Tour sponsored by the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

I’m an inquisitive sort, so meeting food producers and getting to know more about where my food comes from is one of my favorite parts of this job. I think everyone can admit that there’s room for improvement when it comes to transparency in food and agriculture. And happily, that same belief was one I heard from the farmers themselves.

Doesn’t most everyone who isn’t a farmer have an idyllic take on what living on a farm would be like?

continue to the recipe… about The American Farmer and Iowa Corn Quest Tour

10 Best Corn Recipes and Friday Faves

Food blogging can be a solitary job.

Dreaming up wild ideas on your own, being a one (wo)man show in the kitchen, taking on the tasks of a full-service photo studio to become a food stylist, prop stylist and photographer all wrapped up into one. And then there’s the writing, which is probably the only part of blogging that truly takes just one brain to deliver our sweet and savory, crunchy or smooth ideas to the table.

But this week, I was far from alone. Instead, I went from the mountains of Park City, UT to the flatlands of the midwest to be immersed in food bloggerness thanks to some of the most talented names on the www’s.

continue to the recipe… about 10 Best Corn Recipes and Friday Faves

Stetson Chunky Potato Salad

If I had my druthers—which I often do—I’d skip the traditional main protein (chicken or meat) and instead go for a selection of side dishes. I’d much rather have a taste of this and a bite of that, a smattering of tastes to satisfy my undecided thanks to so many options cravings.

When I shared my Roasted Potato Salad with Bacon Dressing recipe I mentioned I’d be sharing a few new recipes with you this summer. Potato salad is one of my all time favorites, and lucky for me, there are plenty of options out there. Mayonnaise based, olive oil based, some with pickles, some with herbs and more, more, more. I may never run out of recipes and flavor combinations to try.

continue to the recipe… about Stetson Chunky Potato Salad

Corn and Potato with Jalapeno Soup and a Friday Faves Giveaway

Oh man do I have the travel bug. Ever since spending New Years in Mexico and being spoiled rotten with sunshine on my shoulders and warm sand under my toes, I’ve been trolling the travel sites looking for our next destination.

Finally, a vacation is almost here. Vegas for spring break is in my sites. We won’t be hanging out with the MTV crowd flaunting our bikinis and trying to not—cough, cough—show off our naughty parts as if we were Hollywood elite. No, this will be a family vacation all about the 8 year olds and finding the sunshine. I can’t wait to reprise last year’s Easter poolside fun, daily $2.99 breakfast buffet chow-down and a Vegas ramen eating rampage.

With a fresh snowfall today and more on it’s way for the weekend—I’m certainly ready for spring weather but I’ll happily take a few more spring ski days—this recipe for Corn and Potato with Jalapeño Soup is the perfect transition from winter into spring. It’s not too heavy yet has just enough spice with chunky potatoes and corn to add some bite to the soup’s slurpability leading up to your Easter brunch.

Enough about me, what’s on your Easter agenda? Not sure yet? Well the giveaway below should be.

So let’s get right to our Friday Faves.continue to the recipe… about Corn and Potato with Jalapeno Soup and a Friday Faves Giveaway

Friday Faves and Smokey Corn with Bacon

The farmer’s markets in my neck of the woods are at their peak, harvesting all sorts of goodies and selling out to long lines of anxious customers waiting with baited breath to succumb to their favorite fall flavors.

Last week I made the voyage to the Wednesday Park City Farmer’s Market—’cause I can do that now that I work for myself—with my friend Kelley of Mountain Mama Cooks. It is exactly the type of market I absolutely love: Plenty of local vendors showcasing the very best in food that Utah has to offer with the emphasis on fresh farmed goods while keeping the homemade good vendors at respectable ratio.

Kelley led the charge sharing all of her favorite vendors and pointing out the good ones: “This guy has THE BEST peaches and nectarines in the state”—to the shysters: “He says he’s selling you sorrel, and its a premium price, but its mostly mixed greens.” Buyer beware.

As we strolled past freshly canned jams, fresh pacific seafood (in Utah? YES!) and loads of tomatoes, we came across “the best corn ever.” Needless to say I loaded my canvas bag with a half dozen ears for my corn obsessed husband. And Kelley was right, it was sweet, tender and delish and I instantly had a plan for the dinner table.continue to the recipe… about Friday Faves and Smokey Corn with Bacon

10 Great Corn Recipes plus Grilled Corn and Pasilla Pepper Salad

Corn. It’s the new black.

It’s on every corner (ehem, gas station farmer’s market) it comes with color blocking in its DNA (alternating white and yellow kernals) and it looks good on just about everyone.

It used to be that one had to wait anxiously for harvest season to roll around before noshing on the sweetest corn in town. Now that new corn genes have been developed, its a rare day in the sun when cooks have to make do with sub par kernals of sunshine. Have you had enough with the trite phrases already?

In preparing to make this recipe, I did the usual routine of filling my pasta stock pot with water and dumped my farmer’s market cobs into the pool, husks and all, with the intention of soaking them for 30 minutes to add a little extra moisture for roasting.

Five hours later I realized I had become completely distracted—I’m not going to admit or lay blame to anything that may or may not have been being surfed on the internet— and quickly pulled my soggy cobs to safety.continue to the recipe… about 10 Great Corn Recipes plus Grilled Corn and Pasilla Pepper Salad

corn

Healthier Crockpot Corn Chowder

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread Recipe

What’s in Creamed Corn?

How to Make CrockPot Creamed Corn

Can I Make This with Canned Corn?

Is There a Half-and-Half Substitute I Can Use?

Tips for Making CrockPot Creamed Corn

More Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Master

5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Ingredients

Instructions

More Side Dishes That Feature Corn

Playing With Fire by Michael Symon

Will is poised to be a seventh generation farmer in the Rempp family tree and his great grandpa proudly shared this photo with me.

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