Showing posts with label corn on the cob. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corn on the cob. Show all posts

Thursday, August 14, 2014

August is....

In the Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York, as I am sure is true in your part of the world, there are telltale signs that a season has arrived or is winding down.


The beginning of August is the best part of summer here. The local vegetables are ready, the garden is in full bloom and the warm, sunny days are more abundant.

Here is a pictorial view of August in my part of the world.


This is the "new" view of my garden from the side porch. I will always remember that it was this August when we got our new Victorian style screen door. It is a slammer. You know, no catch or turning knob, just push it open and let it slam shut. Brings back memories of the cottage I visited summers growing up.




Sunflowers are abundant and in bloom. These are the pollen-free variety from a local farmer at the public market. So happy my daughter Jena found these for me....usually I can't have them in my house because of the pollen.



Fresh picked tomatoes from the garden sitting on the window sill to finish ripening.



Local gardens, like my daughter Candice's are overflowing with zucchini, cucumbers green peppers and jalapeno peppers. The zucchini in this picture are considered small and the cucumbers are extra large!



Fading flowers (day lilies and bee balm) and newly bloomed flowers. August is the time for black-eyed Susans.



Fresh local raspberries to pick. Another round of picking happens in late August, early September.



A second blooming of my Marguerite daisies. If I am diligent and get out there to deadhead this patch, I am blessed with another pretty show.



This August has been very rainy and chilly at night. I actually saw a tree where the top leaves have already turned orange from the cold. My poor hens and chickens are living in mud. The lawn is doing great though, almost needing to be mowed twice a week!



August is also the time for camp. This will be my son's 7th year at Camp Onseyawa. In a few more years he can go back as a counselor. The camp is sponsored by a local Rotary Club that uses a campground on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes. 


It's going to be a cold one this year sleeping in these!



It just wouldn't be August without fresh corn. There are cornfields everywhere but not many roadside stands in my town. This one is in an odd place.....a future construction site, just all by itself, no cornfields in sight! It has the best sweet corn, large tomatoes and other local veggies. Best part is that it is about 2 minutes from my house!




I haven't been in a few years to pick blueberries but it is addicting! It is peak season here right now. My son and I went to get a few pints one day and found rows of blueberry bushes with an abundance of large berries on them. We couldn't stop picking (or eating them while we were picking!) and went home with enough to eat in a bowl with honey for breakfast and make blueberry pie. 



And, one of my most favorite signs of August is the blooming of the Hosta. I just love Hosta and have several varieties around my garden and house. These are my favorite for the trumpet style white flowers that bloom. They are very fragrant too. They run along the front porch by the driveway.  I will have to move those someday closer to where we can smell them more!



Summer is winding down and then I will start thinking of all my favorites of Fall. There is not a blog page big enough to list them all!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Grilled Chicken, Corn and Avocado Salad

The perfect summer salad.

I shared this salad a couple years ago but had to post it again after having it for dinner tonight.

It is SO good!

It is perfect for summer because two parts of it are grilled....the corn and the chicken. Local corn on the cob will be ready soon here in Northeast US. What they have in the grocery store right now is pretty good too! The avocado with the shredded parmesan cheese and the homemade dressing add just enough zing to make it a really satisfying main dish. You won't feel cheated by having a salad for dinner. Just ask my meat and potato loving husband and son!

It is simply called Grilled Chicken, Corn and Avocado Salad.


Serves 4 (not really!!)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (I use 1 tblsp. dry)
4 cloves garlic minced (about 1 heaping Tablespoon)
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
12 oz chicken tenders
3 ears corn, shucked
baby spinach
romaine lettuce, chopped
1 avocado, diced  *see tip*
shredded parmesan cheese

In a small bowl whisk lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper.
Pour half of the dressing into a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken, seal and refrigerate about 30 minutes. Set aside the remaining dressing.
Fire up the grill to medium. Rub the corn with the remaining tablespoon of oil and grill till golden on all sides. Allow to cool and cut kernels off the cob.
Grill the chicken next till just cooked through but still juicy. Chop coarsely.
Get your largest bowl out ( I use my Italian pasta bowl) and fill it up with a mix of spinach and romaine, or any other of your favorite greens. Add the chicken, corn, avocado and remaining dressing. Top with shredded parmesan. Toss it all together and serve.

* my daughter showed me an easy way to dice the avocado, as I was always struggling to peel it first! With skin on, pierce it vertically all the way around and pop it open with the knife. Leave the avocado in it's shell. Take the seed out. Use the tip of your knife to make vertical then horizontal cuts in it then scoop the pieces out with a spoon.

I am always tempted to eat the corn right off the grill but I wait because it tastes great in the salad!
You can see all the individual ingredients here.....yum!


Actually I take a larger portion than this and then have seconds!

And it's gone!!


Seriously, three of us ate the whole bowl. Did I mention that it is SO good? And that two of the three usually want a hearty meat and greasy side dish meal every night?

Happy grilling!

AnnMarie xo


I am linking up with these great blog parties!

Inspiration Monday
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Showcase Your Talent Thursday
Feathered Nest Friday
Tasty Tuesday
What's It Wednesday

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Low Country Seafood Boil, Strawberries and Rhubarb!

I promised in my last post to give the recipes for my Mother's Day dinner so here they are.....

Seafood or Low Country Boils are famous in the low country of Georgia and South Carolina. They are typically done in a large outdoor cooker making it an easy all-in-one-pot-all-you-can-eat dinner.

This is a large boiler/fryer that has been a great investment for us not only for seafood boils but also for deep fried turkey!

 
The ingredients for a boil are variable according to taste but a basic boil includes small red or new potatoes, sausage or kielbasa, fresh corn on the cob, and any combination of crab, shrimp, scallops and clams. We used clams, shrimp, corn, small white potatoes and a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage. I happen to have a huge platter to serve it on but the authentic way to serve a seafood boil is to spread out some newspapers on the picnic table and throw all the ingredients on top. That way everyone can dig in from all sides of the table without passing the dish. We fed 5 adults and there was still some left over!
 

 
The seasonings are very important and also are as variable as your taste. We have found that the more is better so that all the pieces are drenched with it.....otherwise everything comes out sort of bland from just basically being boiled.  My husband put so many seasonings in this one that the water was brown.....I was a little skeptical, but each piece was tasty, especially the potatoes, which really soaked it all up. He made it a little on the hot/spicy side.
 
I have a recipe to follow but we usually wing it and do our own thing for the seasonings, which are different every time we make it. Seasonings include Old Bay Seafood Boil seasonings, beer, lemons, garlic cloves, bay leaves, Cajun seasoning and onions.
 
So here is the recipe that we used recently....
 
Seasonings:
 
5 quarts of water
1 bag Old Bay Seasoning
1 lemon, cut in half
5 cloves garlic, whole
1 pinch Adobo, a Spanish seasoning
 1/4 cup kosher salt
pinch of crushed red pepper
pinch of Cajun seasoning
a handful of fresh oregano leaves from our garden
 
To the 5 quarts of water add all of the seasonings and set to boil.
 
Main Ingredients:
 
2 pounds of small potatoes, whole
1 pound sweet Italian sausage cut in 2" pieces
1 pound hot Italian sausage cut in 2" pieces
6 ears of fresh corn, cut in half or thirds depending on the size of the cob
2 pounds large, raw shrimp
4 dozen little neck or mahogany clams, scrubbed clean
melted butter
cocktail sauce
 
Once the water comes to a boil add the potatoes and sausage and cook for 10 minutes or until tender and done. Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes.
Take the potatoes, sausage and corn out and keep covered and warm on a plate.
Add the clams to the water next and once they start to open add the shrimp and cook till pink.
You can add the potatoes, sausage and corn back in the water for a minute to reheat and then drain everything and serve on a platter or newspaper. Serve with lots of melted butter and cocktail sauce.
 
 
If you have room for dessert.......
 

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
My daughter found this online from Taste of Home. Click on the link for the full recipe.
 
 
 

 
I also make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp which is a little different in that the topping is made from flour, sugar and butter and bakes into a crisp, crunchy topping. Both are equally fabulous and the strawberries and rhubarb are in season right now in Upstate New York.
 

 
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
 
2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into small pieces
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

Heat oven to 350. Place rhubarb in ungreased 8" square pan. Sprinkle with salt.
Measure sugar, flour and cinnamon into a bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork thoroughly until it is crumbly.
Sprinkle evenly over strawberries and rhubarb.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.


Are you full yet?!

That should keep you busy for awhile! Enjoy!

AnnMarie :)

Linking up with these great blog hop parties!

The Scoop
The Marketplace
Tuesday Trivia
Tasty Tuesdays
You're Gonna Love It
The Gathering Spot
Adorned from Above
Dandelion Wishes Wednesday
Fluster Buster
Meet & Greet Blog Hop
Freedom Friday''s
Bloglovin' Blog Hop
Weekend Wonders
The Pin Junkie Friday Link Party
Be Inspired
Aloha Friday Blog Hop
My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Blog Party
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Sweet and Savoury Sundays
A Bouquet of Talent
Let's Get Social Sunday

This post was FEATURED here!
Tuesday Trivia/Memories by the Mile