Genius Corn

If given a choice, my family prefers corn on the cob over frozen corn (who doesn't, right?).  But there's not much we can do about that this time of year, short of buying some tasteless, expensive, out-of-season ears from the grocery store.  Enter "broiled corn".  Huh?  Yes, that's right.  Cooking frozen corn this way is about as close as you can get to that crisp, sweet, middle-of-the-summer taste.  In my quest to include more vegetables in our diet, I'm always looking for something quick and easy.  This "recipe" definitely fits the bill.  In less than 10 minutes, you'll have perfectly cooked and seasoned corn.

Spaghetti Squash With Apples

[This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad week of 9/2/12-9/8/12]

I don't usually post a new "sale recipe" if only one of the ingredients is on sale.  But that's exactly what I'm doing today...mostly because it's hard to know what to do with squash!  Squash is on sale at Meijer next week, and it will probably appear in the sale ad (and in lots of produce stands!) a few more times this fall.  Squash prepared this way is delicious, and it will make your kitchen smell amazing!  Enjoy!

Fresh From the Farmer's Market: "Not Really a Recipe" Sauteed Zucchini

Zucchini is abundant this time of year!  So, what can you do with zucchini?  Many people use it to make deliciously moist bread or muffins...and did you know that you can freeze zucchini to make bread or muffins at a later date?  Simply shred/grate, measure the amount needed for your recipe, and freeze in ziploc bags.  When you're ready to bake, just thaw the zucchini and add to the recipe as instructed, including any liquid that results from thawing. 

Our favorite way to eat zucchini is as a side dish.  This "recipe" couldn't get any easier, but we really enjoy it this time of year, as do our kids!  Italian dressing is used in place of oil to stir-fry the vegetables, creating a flavorful coating for them.

Kids' Favorite Green Beans

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 4/29/12 - 5/5/12)

We love the classic green bean casserole at our house, but this recipe is a nice change of pace from that old stand-by.  My friend Bobbi over at Favorite Family Foods posted this recipe a few weeks ago, and I knew I wanted to try it right away.  My kids actually turned up their noses at it until I told them what it was called...and then they tried it and of course, liked it!  I doubled the recipe and it was GONE, so I'll probably triple it next time.

8/11/12 edit:  I've made this with fresh green beans many times this summer, and it's even better!

Iowa Corn

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 4/1/12 - 4/7/12)

I hesitate to call this "creamed corn" because so many of you were scarred for life after eating the canned stuff as a child.  I never had the pleasure of sampling it when I was younger, so to me, the words "creamed corn" mean this delicious, homemade version.  A word of warning:  any health benefits derived from the corn itself are most definitely crowded out by the rich and creamy sauce.  But sometimes, you just gotta go for broke!  And besides, if you don't end up liking this recipe, you've only wasted five minutes of your time throwing it together.
 

Broccoli Casserole

(This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week 3/4/12 - 3/10/12)

We had this delicious side dish recently at the home of a friend.  It comes together quickly and can be made with either fresh or frozen broccoli.

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

This recipe was first posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 2/26/12 - 3/3/12)

This is one of the fastest vegetable sides ever...preps and bakes in no time for those busy weeknights!