Corn Salsa

 

…And just like that I’m into Week 3 of Graduate School.

It feels like only yesterday that I was nervously awaiting my acceptance letter and really committing to changing the path my life was taking.

Right now it feels like life is moving at a million miles an hour. I can already feel the constant exhaustion setting in, trying to jumble the roles of full time student, full time employee, as well as training for a half marathon, continuing my karate practice so I can test for black belt in June, having a husband, feeding said husband (and myself) and finding time to pet my cat. And maybe spending time with friends.

Sleep? Sleep is OVER.RATED.

Want to know what is NOT over rated? Corn. Corn that I continually seem to get in my CSA. Please, more corn. Then it will feel like it is still mid July and NOT almost October.

I made this corn salsa for a 50th birthday party for one of my husband’s uncle. It was creamy and delicious. At one point, I grabbed a tortilla chip and dunked it into the dip, a woman next to me said “That dip is so good!” I responded by saying thank you and she told me she didn’t realize that I had made it and was just commenting on how awesome it was.

So yeah, believe me when I tell you this is pretty awesome. Make this salsa if you are still holding desperately onto summer and still refuse to wear tights even though you have goosebumps covering your legs. Make this salsa if you are a half dazed graduate student that can barely string two sentences together by the end of the day but can still manage to throw lots of ingredients into a bowl and stir. Make this salsa if you like corn. And if you don’t, well, that’s your loss.

Corn Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 15oz can black beans
• 3 ears of corn, kernels removed
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced and chopped
• 3 scallions, sliced thinly
• half bunch cilantro, chopped roughly (about 1/2 cups)
• Juice from 2 limes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small jalepeno, seeded and chopped
• 2 slightly under ripe avocados, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

– Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Let the salsa marinate for a few hours in the fridge in order for the flavors to meld. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Homemade Salsa

For Christmas Eve with the in-laws, I was asked to make salsa. I’m apparently getting quite the reputation, because my husband’s aunt told my mother-in-law that she was really excited for what I was going to whip up.

I was originally going to try to do some fancy mango or peach salsa, but then I decided to just make a classic homemade salsa. I also brought over a roasted red pepper white bean dip. Both were very well received and there was basically none left by the end of the night!

I also got to play with my parents adorable kitten, Cody.

How freakin’ adorable is he?!? He is such a friendly kitty and loves to play, just like kittens do. He’s also a brat. He likes to eat a lot.

I didn’t manage to grab a picture, but he sleeps on his back. Fully splayed out. Legs wide open, front paws over his head. It’s pretty much the cutest and funniest thing ever.

Anyway, back to salsa.

Homemade Salsa

• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 large can of peeled, canned, whole tomatoes
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup cilantro
• juice of 1 lime
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to your desired chunkiness. If you prefer, chop up some fresh tomatoes and add them to the salsa. Also feel free to add hot sauce and/or don’t seed the jalapenos if you want your salsa to have more of a kick!

Daring Cook’s: Poached Eggs

One of my favorite ways of eating eggs is poaching. It’s kind of magical. If done correctly, you have a perfect white coccoon, and nestled in the center is a beautiful butterfly that is waiting to burst out into yolky goodness.

River of gold

I’m also a fan of the sunny side up egg. My mom used to make me sunny side up eggs with a side of toast, and I loved to break open the egg yolk and dunk my bread in the yolk. I still do it to this day. My cat also likes sunny side up eggs, because she licks up the leftover yolk on the plate.

 

For this month’s Daring Cook’s we were challenged to make poached eggs. Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

 

I decided to forgo the Eggs Benedict (Even though I do love them to pieces!) and went with a poached egg salad. Everything was going absolutely SPLENDID until I got to the poached egg. First, I forgot to add the vinegar and salt. Then my clear beautiful water turned into an eggy mess. I ended up getting one pretty poached egg, one ugly poached egg and one trashed poached egg. All in all it was quite the experience.

 

Poached Egg Salad

Part 1: Croutons

• 3 slices of day old bread (I used 12 grain from Whole Foods)
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp thyme

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the bread in with the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and spread the bread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once, until browned. Set aside.

Part 2: Bacon & Roasted Garlic

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 garlic bulb
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees. Line another baking pan (or use the same one for the croutons! The less dishes the better!) with aluminum foil and lay out the bacon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and olive oil.

Remove excess from garlic bulb. Cut garlic bulb at the top to expose the garlic. Place in a heat proof ramekin and sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Bake bacon and garlic together for 15-18 minutes, turning the bacon once, until your level of crispiness. Take the bacon out and bake the garlic for an additional 15 minutes. Put both aside.

Part 3: Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Part 4: Poached Eggs

Bring a pot of water to a simmer, just before the boiling point (Between 160-180 degrees) Add 2 tbsp vinegar and salt liberally (This I forgot to do, D’oh!) Crack first egg into a small cup and then gently (Gently I say!) place into the water. Using a slotted spoon gather the egg whites towards the yolk. Shut off the heat and cover, cooking for 3-4 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolk. Repeat as necessary.

Part 5: Assemble your salad

• 1 bunch red leaf lettuce
• 4 grape tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 raw onion, chopped

Combine your salad greens with the tomatoes and onions. Crumble up the bacon, add the croutons, coat lightly with dressing and add your poached egg to the top.

That’s the not so pretty egg, in case you’re wondering

This was definitely no easy task! I now have a greater appreciation for a good poached egg at a restaurant. The people that can make poached eggs like nothing, well, I bow down to you. Hopefully, with a little practice, I’ll be able to whip them up in no time.