Summer Corn Chowder

We’re busy in the garden this time of year freezing corn, green beans and harvesting onions.  The black bean plants have been pulled-up and are drying so we can dry them to store.

This is a yummy recipe we found over at Cooking Classy and thought it would be a great way to use up our garden crookneck squash, corn, garlic, onions and thyme.  I love it when we can make a recipe from the things we grow in our garden.  See our Freezing corn, green beans and Gardening tips and storing garden harvest.


Summer Corn Chowder

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*6-8 slices Bacon, chopped, cooked and crumbled (Save 4 teaspoons bacon fat for flavor and sautéing onions and garlic or use extra light olive oil and omit bacon fat)

*1/2 cup sliced Green Onions or Onions from your garden

*2 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed

*3 small Crockneck Squash, sliced or Yellow Squash, seeds removed, chopped

*2   3/4 cups Milk, your choice

*6 Fresh Ears/Cobs Corn, blanched and cut from cobs or 4   1/2 cups fresh frozen corn

*1/2 cup Whipping Cream or Heavy Cream

*1   1/2 teaspoon fresh Thyme or 1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme

*3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

*1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

*1 cup Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated, topping

*1/2 cup Green Onions, chopped, topping

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Saute Onions, garlic (add garlic the last-minute of sautéing) in bacon fat on medium heat about 4-8 minutes in a cast iron skillet.

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Reduce heat to low and add 1   1/2 cups of the milk and 1   1/2 cups corn. Sprinkle in the thyme, salt and black pepper to sautéed mixture.

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Pour mixture into a crockpot or cast iron pot and add the below ingredients and heat through completely and keep warm until ready to serve.

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In a blender add the cream, remaining milk and corn. Blend until nearly smooth. Add this puréed mixture to the above cast iron pot.

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Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

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Top with cheese and green onions. Enjoy!


Have a great day!

Jessica

Grilled Vegetables


Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette

(Use Vinaigrette for Grilling Asparagus Crostini, Potatoes and Green Beans)

*1/4 cup Extra Light Olive Oil

*1/8-1/4 cup Canola Oil

*2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

*Zest-Juice of 1 Lemon

*1 tablespoon Fresh Tarragon, stripped and Chopped

*1 tablespoon Honey

*Freshly ground black Peppercorns, to taste

*Sea Salt, to taste

Add to a small blender or food chopper and blend just until combined.

Place a 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and baste the grilled potatoes, asparagus and green beans at the end of grilling.

Add the rest of the vinaigrette to the potatoes and toss. Serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Also see our Marinated Grilled Chicken and Grilling Recipes

Boil potatoes in a stock pot of boiling water until firmly tender, cool and cut into chunks.

  

Season the potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss together and grill cut potatoes on a grilling pan until crisp edges and fork tender.

Baste grilled potatoes and place in a baking dish, then add more vinaigrette while potatoes are hot.  Cover with foil until ready to serve, keeping them warm.  

Crostini with Grilled Asparagus

*1-2  baguette Artisan or French Bread, sliced, drizzled with olive oil and toasted in the oven.

*Extra Light Olive Oil, for brushing on baguette slices

*Grilled Or Roasted Asparagus

*Parmesan Cheese, shaved in strips

*Feta or Goat Cheese

Layer the toasted baguettes with Parmesan cheese, grilled asparagus  and feta or goat cheese.  Warm slightly if desired and enjoy!
        

Grilled Asparagus

Wash and trim the ends of the asparagus and place on a serving platter and drizzle with olive oil and black pepper.  Salt to taste after grilling.

Place asparagus on heated grill on a low heat.  Grill until asparagus has grill marks and softens.  Baste with vinaigrette just before removing from the grill.  Cut grilled asparagus into about 2   1/2 in pieces and add the tops of the toasted and sliced crostini.

Grilled Green Beans

I used thawed green beans from my garden that I had blanched, froze in the freezer.  I removed  and thawed them and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper.  You could use fresh or frozen store-bought green beans.

Grill green beans on a grilling pan until they get grill marks turning them over a couple of times.  Baste with vinaigrette And remove from grill and enjoy!


  



Enjoy!

Lindy