Tag Archives: corn

Mexican Inspired Corn and Bean Dip- easy and delicious

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The inspiration for my warm, kidney bean and corn dip is corn on the cob in Mexico. In Mexico, you’ll see vendors hawking grilled corn on the cob rubbed with mayonnaise and chili powder and a dash of Parmesan. The Parmesan doesn’t seem like it would pair well, but it does.  That slight tang beefs up the flavor in the beans and complements the corn.

In this dip, I add corn, dark kidney beans (you can also substitute pinto), mayonnaise, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, lime, Parmesan and cilantro and warm it on the stovetop for about 3 minutes. Before serving, I add a handful of shredded cheddar. Serve it with tortilla chips. It’s best warm, but is still delicious when it cools.

I’ve served it twice and it’s been a huge hit!

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Mexican Inspired Corn and Bean Dip

1 (15-ounce) can of whole kernel corn

1 (15-ounce) can dark kidney beans or pinto beans

1 cup chopped red onion

1 teaspoon canola oil

½ teaspoon cumin seed

1 (4-ounce) can of chopped green chilies

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chop onion and set aside. Drain the beans and corn and set both of those aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cumin seed and cook 4 minutes. Then pour in the rest of the ingredients and stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3 more minutes until everything has melted together and is well combined. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Grilled Shrimp over Andouille Maque Choux.

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Grilled Shrimp over Andouille Maque Choux. Don’t be intimidated by the name, maque choux is basically a Louisiana’s version of creamed corn mixed with celery, onion and bell peppers.

To further enhance the flavor, I use andouille sausage in this recipe, which is a spicy Cajun sausage. You could substitute a smoky ham in this dish if you can’t find andouille, although Johnsonville makes a commercial variety that is easy to find at many stores.

You can serve the maque choux as a side dish without shrimp; or you can serve it with blackened fish on top instead of shrimp.

It’s spectacular because it’s sweet, creamy, smoky and crunchy. It has so much going on and it’s easy to make.

Grilled Shrimp over Andouille Maque Choux

3 ears of corn

1 andouille sausage

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small red onion

1 teaspoon flour

3 celery stalks

¾ of a green or red bell pepper

8 ounces of heavy whipping cream (half a pint)

Parsley to garnish

16 jumbo shrimp

Butter or olive oil to brush the shrimp

Cajun seasoning

Microwave the corn in the husk for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut the corn off the cob in two steps. First, cut through the corn and then take the knife back a second time to scrape down and make sure you get the corn milk out of the roots of the kernels. Set aside.

Chop your andouille sausage, red onion, celery and bell pepper and set aside.

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and turn the heat on to medium. Add chopped andouille and cook until done, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the oil, onion, flour, celery and cook 5 minutes (you want to cook it in the same pan to get some of the fat and andouille flavor). Then add the bell pepper and cook 3 minutes. Add corn and heavy whipping cream and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 7-10 minutes while you cook the shrimp (add andouille back the last 2 minutes).

For the shrimp, you can either grill them or cook on the stovetop. The cooking time is similar for each.  Either heat a grill or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the shrimp with olive oil or melted butter. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning on the shrimp. Note: Use a brand of Cajun seasoning you are familiar with because so many commercial varieties are incredibly salty. You could also just use salt and pepper instead of you don’t have a Cajun seasoning you like. I use “Joe’s Stuff” which I order from the New Orleans School of Cooking. I was introduced to this seasoning when I took a class there.

When the pan or grill is hot, add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and serve on a bed of maque choux.

Chicken, Corn, Avocado, Black Bean Salad in Chipotle Dressing

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It’s going to be a scorcher today, so cool off with this delicious, filling salad.

Southwest flavors come together beautifully in this simple meal.  For the dressing, you mix chipotle salsa, mayonnaise and fresh lime juice. Then top romaine lettuce with chopped chicken, fresh corn, black beans, avocado and tomato. Serve it with tortilla chips; shredded cheese and cilantro are optional but add a lot to this salad.

Bell peppers would be a nice addition, too.

It’s that easy. Enjoy

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Chicken, Corn, Avocado, Black Bean Salad in Chipotle Dressing

Serves 2

1 head of Romaine lettuce

1 ear of corn

1 ¼ cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast

1/3 cup black beans, drained

1 avocado

2 campari tomatoes

1/3 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup Pace Southwest Chipotle Salsa

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Tortilla chips

Shredded cheese to garnish (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

Place corn in its husk in the microwave and cook for 3 ½ minutes. Remove and when it’s cool enough to handle, shuck it and slice corn off the cob. Set aside.

Tear romaine into pieces and divide between two bowls.

Pull chicken breast off chicken and discard skin. Chop and sprinkle over salad.

Drain your black beans and divide between the salads.

Slice avocado in half and cut each half into slices and place half an avocado on each salad.

Chop tomatoes and divide between the salads. Sprinkle corn over salads.

For the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, salsa and lime juice.  Drizzle over salads. Garnish each plate or bowl with tortilla chips. If desired, sprinkle with cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve.

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Fresh Corn Salad- and tips for using corn

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Sometimes memories are so vivid you feel like you can taste them.

That’s how I feel about the sweet taste of corn on the cob fresh my grandparents’ farm.

My family would visit every summer. Grandpa would harvest corn in late July into August and I’d help my grandma shuck it for dinner. She always boiled it and served it so hot that a slab of butter would melt and slide down the side of the cob the second the butter touched it.

I couldn’t wait to nibble off the golden kernels in horizontal rows. It was a delicious tradition and a wonderful memory.

I still love corn on the cob although nothing compares to the flavor of farm fresh corn. For starters, corn is best consumed the day it’s picked because within 24 hours of picking, the sugars start to convert to starch and some of the flavor is lost.

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That said, I recommend buying corn from a farmers market for the freshest corn possible. If you’re not going to eat it that day, pop it in the refrigerator to slow down the conversion.

If you’re substituting fresh corn for canned, as a general rule, when you cut corn off the cob, you get about ½ a cup of corn.

When cutting corn off the cob, a neat little trick is to place the cob in the hole of an angel food pan or Bundt cake pan and then scrape off the kernels so they fall into the pan without going all over the counter (Bundt works better because the hole is smaller). I saw this idea on Pinterest and it works beautifully.

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Microwaving corn is my favorite cooking method because it’s so simple and fast. Simply pop the entire corn in its husk in the microwave and cook on high for 3-3.5 minutes; two ears for 4-5 minutes; three ears for 5-6 minutes. Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before you shuck it.

Another popular cooking method is to boil the corn. I always add a good dash of salt but also 1/3 cup of sugar to the water to bring out the sweetness. I particularly recommend this if you buy corn in the off season when it’s likely been shipped from far away and not as sweet. Boil corn for about 6-8 minutes. The older corn is, the longer it takes to cook because it’s starchier (add 1-2 minutes).

If you’re working with a bunch of corn, don’t toss the cobs when you’re done. Corn cobs can be used to make wonderful corn stock and frozen for corn chowder this winter. I boil 8-10 cobs with 5 cups water, 2 cups chicken stock, a carrot, two celery stalks, 1 bay leaf, and one sliced onion. Boil for an hour and then cool and freeze it for corn chowder this winter. If you want to use it right away, you can use it in place of water when making rice, quinoa or risotto.

That’s all the corn tips I have. I made this for my husband when we first met and it’s one of his favorite dishes to this day. This salad has celery, several types of bell pepper, red onion, parsley, basil and a light vinegar dressing.

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It’s so refreshing on a hot summer day and goes with everything from sausages to chicken to burgers.  It’s perfect for picnics and potlucks. And is an easy side dish for rotisserie chicken. The great thing about this corn salad is you can substitute canned corn in the winter.

Summer Corn Salad

3 ears of corn

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

¾ of a green bell pepper, chopped

½ an orange bell pepper, chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

1/3 cup chopped parsley

5 basil leaves, sliced thin

Dressing:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 heaping tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the dressing, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

For the salad, cook corn according to your favorite method. If you’re microwaving, microwave on high in the husks for 5-6 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove husks and corn silks and cut corn off the cob and add to a large bowl.

Chop all your vegetables and add to corn. Add chopped parsley and basil and toss the salad with dressing. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Leftovers keep for days in the refrigerator.

Southwest Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

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This is now my favorite Go To Summer dish. I am so in love with this quinoa salad.  It’s healthy, refreshing, low fat, high in fiber, high in protein and loaded with vitamins. And did I mention it’s delicious!

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First, I cook the quinoa with chicken broth to give it more flavor. Then I chilled it and tossed it with chicken, cilantro, red bell peppers, corn, avocado and a lime-cumin vinaigrette. Sliced grape tomatoes are a nice addition and so are black beans. I actually thought I had black beans when I made this and when I realized I didn’t, was too busy to go to the store, so I made it without.

Anyway, this is perfect for lunch as a main course; as a side dish at a picnic; or as a light dinner.

Give it a try.

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Southwest Quinoa Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (breast is preferred in this recipe)

Half a large red bell pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons red onion

½ cup of chopped cilantro

Half a can of corn, drained

½ cup black beans, drained (optional)

1 avocado

Dressing:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon canola oil

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon ground cumin

For the quinoa: Bring quinoa and chicken broth to a boil in a medium pot with a tight fitting lid. Let it boil 3 minutes, cover with lid and cook another 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when a hook is released from the grain. Chill for later.

To prepare: Chop chicken, red bell pepper, onion and cilantro and place in a medium to large bowl. Fluff the quinoa and add it to the mix.

Drain corn and black beans (if you’re using those) and toss with quinoa. Then pit your avocado and chop.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over quinoa. Toss to coat and serve.

If you are making this ahead of time, leave the avocado off until the last minute.

Note: This recipe is also good with about ½ cup halved grape tomatoes, too.

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Chicken, Ranch, Black Bean Quesadilla

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I made this recipe a few weeks ago when my sister was visiting from California and it was a big hit. It’s kid friendly and incredibly easy!

From start to finish, these take 15-20 minutes, so they are perfect for a busy weeknight. They make a good snack or appetizer for a party.

Chicken, Ranch, Black Bean Quesadilla

8 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon dry Ranch salad dressing mix

½ cup corn, drained

2 tablespoons chopped black olives

½ cup black beans, drained

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon of chopped red onion

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)

1/3 cup chunky salsa (it must be chunky)

1 cup chopped chicken

2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese

6- 8 flour tortillas

Guacamole or extra salsa to serve (optional)

MIs together cream cheese and Ranch dressing until thoroughly combined. Then stir in corn, black olives, black beans, onion, cilantro, salsa and chicken.

You have two options when cooking. You can bake the tortillas or make them on the stovetop or skillet (my favorite method). Baking is easier but the shell gets crispy and busts up a little when you cut it. If you want to bake them, bake at 400 for 6-8 minutes.

If you have a pancake skillet, it’s perfect for these. If not, you can make them two or three at a time or just bake them all at once.

Directions:

Divide mixture between flour tortillas, only filling halfway so when you fold over the tortilla you will have a half moon. Top the mixture with cheese.

Spray a nonstick pan or skillet with cooking spray. Turn heat on to medium. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve immediately. These are great with guacamole or extra salsa.

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Barbecue Ranch Chicken Salad- my brother-in-law says It’s the bomb.

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Does this salad look good, or what? It’s fabulous.

This restaurant quality salad is amazing and serves two as a main course or up to six as a side dish.

I call it restaurant quality because it’s really a restaurant rip off. The Cheesecake Factory serves an amazing salad like this, which was my inspiration for this recipe. That is one of my favorite things on the menu.

Salads don’t often “wow” people, but this one usually does.

Directions:

1 head of romaine lettuce

2/3 cup of canned corn, drained

2/3 cup black beans, drained

1 1/4 cups chopped chicken

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

3 slices of bacon or 1/3 cup real bacon pieces

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

French’s Fried Onion rings (like you use for the green bean casserole at Thanksgiving)

 

 

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Dressing:

1/2 cup Ranch dressing

1 1/2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon salsa

Get a large serving bowl for this recipe. For the photo, I made this look pretty by stacking the ingredients, but you will need to toss this together with the dressing before you serve it.

Chop lettuce and place in bowl. Add corn, black beans, chicken, tomatoes, bacon and cheese,

Mix ingredients for the dressing together then pour dressing over salad and thoroughly toss to distribute ingredients and the dressing. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and then serve.

White Chili

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White chili seems to be one of those divisive soups: people love it or hate it.  Some feel like any chili that doesn’t contain beef isn’t really chili.

I enjoy white chili because I love the pronounced flavors of cumin and sour cream. There are so many versions of white chili, but I add corn to mine.

I like to top it with cheese or avocados. Tortilla chips are a good topping, too.  This makes a good size batch, enough for six people.

White Chili

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 teaspoons cumin seed

1 teaspoons ground cumin powder

1 ½ teaspoons chili powder

1 yellow bell pepper

32 ounces of chicken broth, plus 2 cups

1 cup water

1 teaspoon chopped garlic or dried garlic

1 cup half and half

3/4 cup sour cream

4 ounces chopped green chilies (canned)

¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

2 can cannellini beans

1 can corn, drained

4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

This has a lot of ingredients, but it’s still an easy dish.

Chop onion, yellow bell pepper and chicken and set aside.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion, cumin seed, cumin and chili powder. Cook 5 minutes and then add yellow bell pepper and saute another 3 minutes. Then add the next nine ingredients (everything but the chicken) and cook over medium to medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Once you add the sour cream, you don’t want to let the soup boil because it could curdle, so keep the heat at medium.

Add chicken and cook 5 more minutes. Serve.

Chicken Tortilla Soup: Healthy, Easy, Delicious

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Woo Hoo, I did it! Revamped my delicious chicken tortilla soup and transformed it into a wonderful Rotisserie Chicken Queen soup. From start to finish, it took me 25 minutes!

My old version took about an hour and a half and this new version is spectacular! It has more ingredients than most of my recipes but it’s still easy.

If you enjoy the flavors or cumin, cilantro and corn, you should love this.

And it freezes beautifully, so if you are single or travel a lot, you can easily freeze it.  There’s about six servings in a pot and I ran the ingredients through one of those calorie calculations, and it has 311 calories a bowl. It was rated B+, which is awesome, so it’s nutritious as well as delicious.

It has 12 percent of your daily recommended intake of iron, 48 percent vitamin C, and 20 percent vitamin A.

If you made my Mexican Lasagna, you probably have left over corn tortillas, so you can use them in this. For future reference, corn tortillas freeze well, too.

You’ll notice, I give directions as if I am there with you in the kitchen because I know where the pauses are in my recipe and it helps you move faster. You don’t have to de-bone the chicken before you start the soup. If you do, you will add a little extra time to the 25 minutes I said it takes. I try to be as efficient as possible with whatever I make. “Efficient” is a commonly used word in my home and is usually greeted with a mental eye-roll from my husband. I don’t blame him. I strive to be more efficient with everything I do.

This is one efficient, yummy venture. I hope you enjoy it.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 large yellow onion

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin seed

1 large red bell pepper

*1 garlic clove or dash of dehydrated garlic (see my note)

32-ounces reduced sodium chicken broth (one of those boxes of broth)

1 can of corn, drained

½ a bunch of cilantro

4 corn tortillas

1 tablespoon cornmeal (if you don’t have any, just add 2 more tortillas)

1 ½ cups chunky salsa (your favorite brand)

Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken

Avocado to garnish (optional)

*If you want to save time and you’re not cooking with dehydrated garlic, you need to buy some. It’s awesome! I tried it when I visited the New Orleans School of Cooking and I was skeptical, but instantly won over. Now I only use fresh garlic if I am making a dressing or something that must have it. Dehydrated garlic saves me time, effort and I don’t have stinky hands. You can order it online, but I recently bought some from Big Lots, of all places.  It was inexpensive, too. I’d call your local store before heading over.

Directions:

First, chop onion and red bell pepper and set aside (use a food processor, if you have it).

Split a head of cilantro in half and cut the stems off one half. Then bunch up the leaves and slice those and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add onion, cumin, chili powder and cumin seed. Stir occasionally while it cooks for about 7 minutes. While that cooks, do the next steps but be sure to stir the onion so it doesn’t burn.

Pile tortillas on top of each other, slice them and then cut into small squares and set aside.

Tear the meat off your chicken. Discard the skin or save it for another use. Coarsely chop the chicken and set aside (if you have time; if not, you will get to that in a second).

When onion is tender, add all the ingredients from the bell pepper through the salsa. You do not want to add the chicken yet because it’s already cooked. Bring soup to a soft boil and cook 10 minutes.

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is is what it looks like before it boils

Finish chopping your chicken, if you haven’t already

When soup has cooked 10 minutes, drop chicken in and turn off the heat. The soup is piping hot and will quickly heat the meat. See how creamy the soup looks now? Transformed in 10 minutes.

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Optional: Serve with a slice of avocado, crumbled up tortilla chips, cheese or plain. The calories calculated were plain. Stir the soup and serve.

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

High in niacin

High in selenium

High in vitamin B6

High in vitamin C

Bad points

High in sodium

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Light version of Chicken, Corn Chowder

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I am looking out the window and it’s gray outside today and going to snow later. What a perfect day for chowder. I adore this version of my chowder because it’s light. I use milk instead of heavy cream. It’s chicken, corn and potato. My daughter and husband both love it.

Light Chicken, Corn Chowder

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large yellow onion

3 stalks celery

1 heaping tablespoon flour

1 large Russet potato

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 cups whole milk

1 can creamed corn

1 can corn

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken breast

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop onion, celery, potato and set aside.  I don’t peel the potato.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions and celery and cook 2 minutes. Then add flour and cook 5 minutes. Add potato, salt, stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to strong simmer and add milk and corn and cook about 12 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Add chicken at the last minute just to heat through.

The vegetables should still be slightly crunchy. This lighter version of chowder uses milk instead of half and half or cream but it’s still packed with flavor.  It’s an excellent soup and easy to make.