Taco Time!

I had been trying to figure out something different to use the corn in and wasn't quite in the mood for chicken tortilla soup (this is a default for me).  I decided to try making chicken taco filling in the crockpot.  It helps that they had chicken thighs on sale in the grocery store this weekend.  I do love cooking with chicken thighs.  I made some homemade salsa with some of the fresh tomatoes and jalapenos from the CSA and that is the base of the mixture.  Add some black beans and fresh corn and I think it's going to be a tasty mix!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Filling

• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin and fat removed
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup fresh salsa* (tomatoes, jalapenos, green pepers)
• 1 tsp Cajun spice
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 cloves garlic*, minced
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh corn kernals*
• 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

Place chicken in crockpot and pour water and salsa over the chicken.  Next, add the spices, garlic, black beans, corn and lime juice.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  The chicken should shredd very easily.  Remove the bones and thoroughly shred the chicken.  Serve in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

*CSA ingredients

Corn and Sausage

We got the first ears of corn of the season from the CSA this week.  Since there were only 2 ears, I felt like I needed to go ahead and make something out of them.  I really do not eat corn on the cob anymore...habit from having braces for 2 years.  So, I husked the corn and then cut the kernels from the cob.  I also found some Jimmy Dean sage sausage in my freezer and thought maybe a frittata might be a good choice.  I do not usually make frittatas because I prefer the custardy texture of quiche.  However, I was making it for dinner and figured this would be a nice light meal for a warm day.

Sausage and Fresh Corn Frittata

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz cooked crumbled sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage)
• Corn cut from 2 cobs fresh corn*
• 4 eggs*
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• garlic powder

 Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add corn and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add sausage and mix well.  In a small bowl, beat eggs with milk and garlic powder.  Drizzle over the corn and sausage.  Cook over med-low heat until almost cooked.  Sprinkle cheddar over frittata.  Cover and turn off heat.  allow to continue cooking for another 2-4 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Makes 4 servings.

*CSA ingredients

Fresh Corn

As we get more corn, I need creative ways to use it off the cobb. Today, I decided to make a spicy corn salad using a variety of tomatoes and a couple of the spicy Hungarian peppers.

Spicy Fresh Corn Salad

-3 cups fresh corn (3 ears)*
-1 15-oz can black beans*, rinsed and drained
-1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes*, quartered
-1 med red tomato*, diced
-2 med hot Hungarian peppers*, diced
-3 Tbsp cider vinegar
-2 Tbsp canola oil
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
-1/4 tsp sea salt

Cut corn from cobs and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt. Add corn, beans, tomatoes and peppers. Mix well and chill 2-24 hours before serving.

Note: If you prefer, you may use 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano or basil in place of the dried oregano.

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