Cliche? Kiss My Corn-Fed Ass!

Oh look, a Nebraskan cooking corn. How original. 

 Corn from the southern United States is finally showing up in our supermarkets, which provided me with an opportunity to share my favourite technique for roasted corn. We won't get local corn for a few months, but you know Nebraska-if we have to go fifteen minutes without thinking about/talking about/or eating corn, we might well die! We even put it in our cars as fuel.

This is how I roast corn without using a grill:

To remove corn from cobs:
Stand ear of corn on end, and with a sharp knife scrape downward. It helps to do this over a cutting board, or into a bowl.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine cut corn kernels with 2-3 tablespoons corn oil (depending how much corn you have). Add whatever herbs and spices you like (I did tarragon tonight, but chili powder works well if you plan to serve refried beans) and salt to taste. Mix well and spread on a rimmed-edge baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, stir, and cook another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Serve hot or cold. I served this tonight over a bed of lettuces and baby greens from our garden.

 Speaking of the garden, I put up netting as a trellis for the peas this year. We'll see how it goes-I'm not sure I like the look of a volleyball net in my garden! The spinach, kale, scallions, and lettuces are growing like mad. The sorrel came back even better this year as well as the borage and a few clusters of violas that overwintered.

 Fat Frog is back in his favourite garden spot, munching on sorrel.

 My columbines bloomed. They overwintered in the pot. I thought for certain they were dead, and I'm glad I was too lazy to tip the dirt out of the pot last winter! It is a warm, sheltered spot in front of the house, and it gets the exhaust from the tumble dryer vented out beside it.

 I bought this planter last weekend because...OBD.  I have "No eyed deer" what I'll plant in it.

 Come on heirloom rocket...grow. Mr. Froggy will play a song for you called, "Grow already you *#$@&%^^(_!!! lettuce!" There's a cluster of  some other lettuce in there that seems to be doing fine.

Anyway, everything is greening up nicely, but I know better than trusting the weather. We're really not safe until the second week in May, at least for more delicate items. I'm growing okra, cumin, carrots, and other vegetables that can't go outside quite yet. I have carnation seedlings in my sunny windowsill that are doing well, and hopefully they will survive. This weekend is the big plant sale in Lincoln, and that's where I like to buy my herbs. A few have lived in my sunny window, but aren't ready to move out. The bay laurel is still alive by some miracle, as are the lime tree and gardenia. 

The "Hall Tree" had a Spring makeover. I haven't removed the owl's Santa Cap because I don't quite feel comfortable climbing a chair to do it. Eventually, he'll get a July 4th flag or something. 

Someone arranged the books artfully at Hand-Me-Ups (it wasn't me, but I know the guilty party!). Sort of a public service announcement. 

Outfit Particulars:

1980's Hawaiian Creations vintage dress-Goodwill

Cardigan-Dots in Revere, MA about 16 years ago

Vintage beaded necklace-Salvation Army, Lincoln

Bakelite bangles-Salvation Army, Goodwill, Hand-Me-Ups (aka, "All Over")

Vintage vinyl handbag-Goodwill

Vintage Natrualizer sandals-Thrift World

Vintage crystal clip earrings-Hand-Me-Ups

Vintage Brooch-Had it so long, I forgot!

Floral hair clip-Tiff and Tam about 10 years ago

I'm still blowing my nose like a damn foghorn, and coughing up hairballs (meow!) but it looks like this might be less severe than I feared (fingers crossed). I'm taking things easy anyway as next week is going to be madness around here, but hopefully this post doesn't sound as scatter-brained as I feel. People tell me I'm still making sense (but they're my friends, and your friends are supposed to say that whilst thinking, "She's lost the plot."). 

I must walk past this memorial wall on the campus several times a week, but never noticed one of the inscriptions:

I wonder if you could get away with that today? When the wall was dedicated in the 80's, people still had a sense of humour. 

Geez. Is it really only Tuesday? Okay, Onward!