Lemon Pepper Corn

It's almost over. Summer. This season has some of my favorite food memories and associations, like corn on the cob.  It's a classic.

Who doesn't love unwrapping a foil-covered cob that's fresh off the grill? 

Think about the sweet kernels popping as you sink your teeth into them and the remnants of corn left framing your mouth afterward. Then, there are the tiny bits that get wedged between your teeth, sending you on a search for floss as soon as the cookout has ended. 

What fun! 

I have no grill, so I improvised. 

This white corn was so sweet. I seasoned it with a something salty: lemon pepper. Then, I tossed them on my grill pan for that summer feel. 

Eat. With. Hands

Some foods are just meant to be eaten with your hands. They taste better that way.

You know, the kind you eat with the full intention of licking your fingers. It's food that forces you to abandon the thought of keeping your hands clean or free from food smells like garlic and onions.

You're eating dirty and it's okay.

Really okay. It's part of the appeal.

Chicken wings, burgers, summer things made on the grill like hot dogs, chicken, ribs and seafood boils...

Which leads me to this....

These succulent shrimp, they wanted to come home with me. I obliged. I steamed them with some Old Bay and then we at them up. But that wasn't enough. Nope. I needed more. WE needed more. 

We devoured them and with the shrimp bits yet under our nails, we locked eyes. I said it first. 

"We need some more of these."

Inspired by the impending summer and outdoorsy food I wanted to make a boil-inspired dish. However, we didn't have potatoes or corn cobs, but my husband said, "We do have sweet potatoes."

And that settled it. I diced them up along with some peppers and onions, roasted them together with spices creating a hash. Then, in a skillet I charred some frozen corn and onions.  These veggies made a nice comfortable bed for the shrimp. A final resting place. 

Ingredients

Shrimp

Old Bay Seasoning

Sweet Potatoes

Green Pepper

Red Pepper

Onions

Frozen Corn

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

Granulated Garlic 

Shrimp:

Clean your shrimp. I left the shell on for the peel-and-eat fun. But you could remove them prior to cooking if you don't want your hands dirty and would like to eat the meal with a fork. Season liberally with Old Bay. Toss in pot and steam. I have a makeshift steamer. I put my metal colander inside of a soup pot that has water in it and let the steam cook the shrimp. If you don't have that, you could surely just toss them in a pot with a little water and do the same. 

Hash:

Dice your peppers, potatoes and onions. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic and toss them all in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Just enough to coat the veggies. Spread them on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for about 25 minutes. 

Corn:

Dice up a small onion. Toss it in a skillet that's coated with olive oil. Add your corn. Sautee on high heat until the corn is charred to your likeness. 

Combine your corn and hash if you'd like. It's all so good and you can eat that part with fork. :)

P is for Peas, Pork

Like most women, I'm watching my weight. Translation: I'm watching it hover at an unsightly number on the scale, but have no intention of giving up the sweet joy of baked goods.

However, I did manage to lay off the carbs for a few weeks. My dinners were strictly meat and veggie-ish. The highlight of those 14-21 days was this beauty.

My "succotash" contained butter peas and white corn with onions all tossed in an herb-laden compound butter. The pork chops were smoky, tender and moist. I confess that I ate about 3 servings that night. Don't judge.


The pork.
1. Use Paprika, garlic powder and salt to make a spice rub, thoroughly coat the pork
2. Drop the meat into a stainless steal skillet and sear for 2 minutes on each side
3. Finish in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes