End of Summer Fried Corn

This is a great way to put end-of-summer fresh corn to use!  I could actually eat this every day but no, I don’t. 

I told you a couple of days ago about how when we lived on the farm Mom and Grandma made fried corn in the summer.  They had it easy ~ no going out to the farmer’s market to buy some; just send the kids out to the corn field to pick some!  Grandma then fried it up in lard; Mom used bacon grease or butter. 

Fried corn is a breeze to make.  Just stand the ear of corn on end on a cutting board and cut down it with a sharp knife.  When all the corn is cut off the cob, run the knife blade back over it, extracting the pulp and milky liquid.  The corn has been so sweet all summer so sugar is not needed in this recipe, unless you want the addition.  And, a cast iron skillet is best!  Canned or frozen corn can be used also.

This will probably be the last week for sweet corn at our farmer’s market.  What a sad thing…   That means fall is here with ice, snow and bitter winds right behind it…

Fried corn is at its best when served hot.  It’s a great side dish but, I could make it the main course!

End of Summer Fried Corn

Ingredients:

6 ears sweet corn (about 5 cups)

2 tablespoons bacon grease

2 tablespoons corn meal

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/3 cup milk

Sugar, optional

Method:

Cut corn off of ears with sharp knife on a cutting board or in a bowl. 

Go back and scrape ears using the back of the knife, removing pulp and milky liquid.

Add bacon grease to skillet on high heat.

Add corn and remaining ingredients, except milk. 

Cook on high for a minute or two.

Turn down to medium-high, add milk and cook until browning begins.

Stir often to keep from burning.

Cook until mixture is thick and corn is tender, about 15 minutes. 

Serve immediately.

ENJOY!!!

Be sure to enter the $65 CSN giveaway I posted on Sept. 15^th!

Check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway ~ 4 cookbooks she's giving away!

My Simply Delicious Green Beans

I’m not sure which fresh vegetable I like most in the summer time.  It could be green beans or sweet corn or maybe tomatoes.  They’re all great but green beans just might be my favorite. 

There was a time I liked green beans out of the can and gussied up a little bit.  Mom always canned the beans years ago and they were great but not the same as various commercially canned green beans.  None of it can compare to fresh green beans though!

I remember many years ago when Dad started planting broccoli.  I was used to frozen broccoli and was surprised how different it tasted straight from the garden.  The same can be said for green beans.

Anyway, my way of cooking the green beans is probably Southern but this is the way Mom made them and the way we enjoy them.  You can’t get much simpler than this recipe with just bacon grease, salt and pepper.  I have a hard time controlling myself when I start eating these and don’t know when to stop sometimes.  And, I love them leftover, if there is any!

My Simply Delicious Green Beans

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed, snapped in half and washed

1-2 tablespoons bacon grease

Salt and pepper, to taste (I use McCormick’s Seasoned Pepper)

Method:

Fill large pan with water almost to level of green beans.

Add bacon grease, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium low.

Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

The only thing that would make this better, is adding new potatoes!

How do you like your green beans:  with bacon, a ham hock, bacon grease, butter, garlic or maybe just S&P?