Spicy corn bread

I created this corn bread to use several jalapenos stolen (borrowed?) from my mom and dad’s garden. I just modified a basic cornbread recipe to make it less sweet, then added in the corn and jalapenos. You can really add in anything you like – cilantro or cheddar would be really good here. Just make sure that whatever you add in doesn’t add too much liquid. That might throw off the chemistry and your bread wouldn’t set up. To counteract this, just adjust the amount of milk down.

Spicy Corn bread

• 1/2 cup corn, cooked and cut from the cob
• 1/4 cup chopped jalapenos
• 3/4 cup cornmeal (I used some from Stutzman farms)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 T honey
• 3 t baking powder
• 1/2 salt
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T melted butter (you could use bacon grease instead if you had some left over)

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9×9 baking dish. Mix the dry ingredients (corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt) and add in the corn and jalapenos. Mix well. Add milk, egg, honey, and butter, and mix until just combined. Pour into baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until center is just set. Let cool and serve. Excellent with a bowl of chili, or for breakfast with a few slices of bacon.

What to do with CSA this week: 9/25/10

After a week of travel and exciting new jobs, I’m trying to get back on track this week. Thanks to my three good friends who went to North Market to pick up my CSA for me last week!

• Sweet potatoes – I’m going to add these to the potato basket in the pantry for future consumption
  
• Corn – Smoky corn salsa
  
• Cantaloupe – snacking
• Swiss chard – Sausage and potato soup with greens
  
• Apples – make sauce and/or freeze
• Pears – These juicy delights are for snacking
  

Sweet and Smoky Corn Salsa

This is such a delicious way to use up the last of your summer corn. You can put in anything else that you have in your kitchen. Some green onions or bacon would make a nice addition. It’s good with tortilla chips or over a veggie burger.

Sweet and Smoky Corn Salsa

• Corn from 3 ears, cooked and cut off the cob
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 sweet bell peppers (mine were orange), seeded and diced
• Chipotle tobasco, to taste (I like many many many dashes in mine)

Mix all and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

What to do with CSA this week: 9/11/10

This week marks the last week for corn, but the first week for potatoes. Mixed emotions!

• Sweet potatoes and white potatoes – I’m going to let these guys sit in the pantry this week. I’ve got a lot of food to eat that will perish before them.
• Corn – To the freezer with you, to savor later in the fall
• Bell peppers – snacking, cole slaw
• Hot peppers – cole slaw, cornbead, omelettes
• Carrots – I’m going to try to make some carrot bars or muffins. These are starting to pile up and I need to use a bunch of them in one shot.
• Tomatoes – Roast for pasta
• Apples – make sauce and/or freeze
• Pears – These juicy delights are for snacking
  

What to do with CSA this week: 9/4/10

Fall is in the air. I’m a little disappointed to see my beloved scorching heat go, but the idea of fall – and the apples, pears, cinnamon, pumpkins and everything else that goes with it – is starting to grow on me.

• Beans – cooking with bacon and potatoes for a side with pork chops
  
• Sweet Peppers – Sweet and smoky corn salsa
  
• Carrots – Roasted with thyme
  
• Water melon – You should have seen gorgeous yellow fleshed melon. One of the sweetest I have ever eaten.
  
• Corn – Sweet and smoky corn salsa – will post recipe soon
  
• Pears – Eating for snacks, hoping for some more cool nights to eat these with stilton and port.
  
• Plums – Eating, making another plum cake from Hayday Market cookbook – it was delicious! will post recipe soon.
  

What to do with CSA this week: 8/28/10

CSA? Is it really you!!? I’m so thrilled to see you again!!

After being in North Carolina for two weeks of pickups (thanks to lovely friends and neighbors for covering for me) I finally got to go back and pick up my CSA again.

• Tomatoes – Chopping for taco salad
  
• Hot Peppers – Chopping for taco salad and including in beans and rice
  
• Parsnips – Roasted with thyme
  
• Melon – Eat with mint from my garden
  
• Corn – On the cob for kids, included in cornbread, corn salsa
  
• Peaches – Eating, freezing
  
• Plums – Eating, making a plum cake from the Hayday Market Cookbook – will let you know how it turns out.
  

Corn Chowder

Sweet corn, salty bacon, creamy broth. A perfect summer soup.

Corn Chowder

• 2 ears of corn, cooked and kernals cut off (I wish I had a real measurement for you, though you can use as much corn as you like or as little. I just happened to have two ears left over after dinner a couple nights back and saved it for this soup.)
• 1 baking potato, peeled and cubed (I like small cubes because they cook faster)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 slices of bacon, sliced crossways into thin strips (I’m especially fond of Bluescreek Farm peppered bacon)
• 16 ounces chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 heaped T sour cream
• Shredded cheddar, optional
  

Put the bacon and onion over medium heat and cook until the onion is soft and the bacon has rendered some fat. Add the potatoes, broth, and corn. Simmer until the potatoes are just tender. Turn the heat off and stir in the milk and sour cream. Serve topped with cheddar if you like.

What to do with CSA this week: 7/31/10

I can’t believe that July is already gone! Hello August. And hello to big quantities of fruit in the freezer for those cold fall days when I am sad for summer.

• Corn – I’ll let the kids eat two of these off the cob, then use the other two for corn chowder
• Onions – Pantry!
  
• Cucumber – Side dish of cucmber salad
  
• Summer squash – Adding this to some linguine for dinner
• Zukes – Making two loaves of bread with this, to slice and freeze for future breakfasts
  
• Peaches – Freeze for smoothies or pies
• Plums – These are so sweet and delicious. I’ll be snacking on them all week. I wish I had more time, I’d make some kind of fancy tart with them.