Freezing Sweet Corn

I've been busy freezing sweet corn! I've already put almost 20 bags in the freezer for us to enjoy all winter long. Who doesn't love that sweet taste of summer in the cold winter months? We love it for eating, stirred into soups, and mixed in casseroles. This no-cook method is super easy and doesn't use any fancy gadgets. I've been using this method for freezing sweet corn for many years now. 

Here is what you need:

16 cups corn (this can be anywhere from 2-3 dozen, depending on the size of the ears and kernels)

4 cups water

1/4 cup canning salt

3/4 cup sugar

1. Prepare your space. Here are some tips:

 - I lay down an old sheet on the floor to help make clean up easier. When I'm done, I pick it up, shake it off outside, and toss it in the wash!

 - A bath towel on the counter works great to set all your washed corn on.

 - I use my glass pyrex measuring cups to help me measure the water and corn.

 - A large pan is great for cutting the corn into. The sides of the pan catch most of the corn that wants to bounce around and fly across the counter. I have an 11x15 pan with two inch sides that I love for this.

 - You will need a large bowl for mixing the corn with the brine.

 - A large tub is handy for collecting all the cobs after you have cut the kernels off.

2. Husk and wash the corn. Try to get all the silk off that you possibly can. I do this by hand. I've tried different types of brushes that are designed specifically for removing silk, but haven't found one that I love. I've also noticed that some of the brushes can scratch the kernels. If you have one you love, let me know so I can try it.

3. Prepare your brine. In a bowl, measure 4 cups water, 1/4 cup canning salt, and 3/4 sugar. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. I usually take breaks from cutting kernels off the cob to stir.

4. Cut the kernels off the cob. Many people prefer to use an electric knife for this, I prefer to cut with some man power.

5. Mix the corn and the brine together. Make sure the salt and sugar are fully dissolved before mixing together. I also like to add some extra water at this point, just to make sure that there is enough brine, especially if you have a little over the 16 cups of corn. I just add enough until the water is almost even with the corn. (I forgot to take pics at this point, which bothers me because I wanted to show you what it looked like. Ugh.)

6. Scoop your corn into freezer bags. I like to use a 1 cup measuring cup and scoop out two cups per quart freezer bag because that is about how much my family will eat. It's also the amount I need for soups and casseroles that I make. I know people who fill the quart bags completely full. It's really a preference as to how full you fill the bags. When closing the bag make sure to force as much air out as you can. Be sure to write the date on the bag. (Again, forgot to take pics. I was watching reruns of Fixer Upper while freezing corn, so I'll blame my forgetfulness on being distracted by Chip and Joanna.)

7. Freeze your corn. I lay the bags down in the freezer so that the bags freeze flat and skinny. I also spread them out so they freeze faster. You can see in the pics how I have them spread out. Once they are frozen, I stack the bags. I would use the corn up within 9 months.

8. When you are ready to eat your corn, thaw it out and drain the brine from the corn. Warm the corn on the stove over medium heat with some butter until it is heated through and the butter is melted. Add your choice of seasonings to taste.

This method of freezing sweet corn really can't be much easier, you just need the time. Try it! You'll thank me later. :)

Cheesy Rice

Summer. Grilling. They go together pretty well, don't you think? Just like peas and carrots, or Johnny and June, you can't have one without the other. Our summer menu is full of grilled meats and tasty barbecued dishes. I take full advantage of the beautiful summer weather and cook outside on the grill almost every night. I've grilled probably a million burgers, a variety of pizzas, meatballs with marinara sauce, many vegetables, and even meatloaf! We grill so much we have his and hers grills.

With a great grilled dish, you need the perfect side dish. Creamy and cool coleslaw. Sweet macaroni salad. Grandma's potato salad. Fresh garden green beans. Sweet corn from the backyard sweet corn patch. These are just a few of our favorites.

Another favorite of mine is this super easy cheesy rice. It is simple to make and takes only a few ingredients that you probably have in your pantry or fridge right now. The cheesy flavor goes well with the grilled and barbecued flavors. And since this is cooked in the oven, you can make it year round, making it a great side for just about anything you cook!

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Cheesy Rice

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

An easy and favorite side dish!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 2 cups water to cook the rice in
• 1 10.5 ounce can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook rice according to package directions. 2 cups dry rice should yield 4 cups cooked rice.
3. Mix the rice, soup, milk, cheese, and seasoned salt in a casserole dish.
4. Bake covered for 30 minutes, or until heated through and it is bubbly.

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Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Sheet Pan Supper

During this pandemic, I've been missing some of my favorite dishes while everything was shut down. I realize that you could still order for take out, but that was another trip to town that I didn't NEED to make. (Well, I thought it was worth it, but it's a long story) So I started to create my own versions of my favorite foods. Not surprisingly, almost everything that I have recreated is from a local Mexican restaurant that I love. These bacon wrapped shrimp are one of my favorite dishes from my favorite place. I order it almost every time that I go. This version that I made last night tastes exactly like it does at the restaurant, and even my kids loved it. Plus, it was easy to make! If you love bacon and shrimp, give these a try!

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Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Sheet Pan Supper

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Inspired by a favorite dish at a local restaurant.

Ingredients:

• 12 ounce package of shrimp (I used 41-50 count per pound size)
• 9-10 slices bacon, cut into fourths (I only needed 9 slices since I had 36 shrimp)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced with seeds removed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup Monterrey jack cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a sheet pan with foil.
2. Slice the onion and green pepper. Spread out on the sheet pan.
3. Season shrimp with the garlic powder and pepper. Wrap each one with a fourth piece of bacon. Place on top of the vegetables.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 425 degrees, or until the shrimp is done and the bacon is crisp.
5. Top with cheese, bake 5 minutes longer.

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Root Beer Blondies

Root Beer has always been one of my favorite drinks and flavors. An ice cold root beer seems to always hit the spot. As a kid I loved the root beer hard candies. You know, the ones that are shaped like an old barrel? Actually, I still like them! And I can remember many hot summer nights when my siblings and I would enjoy root beer floats. These root beer blondies taste just like root beer, and are even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some sweetened whipped cream. If you like root beer, you'll love these!

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Root Beer Blondies

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Prep time: Cook time: Total time:

Root Beer lovers, this treat is for you!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 teaspoons root beer extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white baking chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10 inch cast iron skillet lightly with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.
3. Mix in eggs and root beer extract.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
5. Fold in white baking chips.
6. Spread in the cast iron skillet. Bake 30 - 35 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.

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Ground Pork Enchiladas

I've got some serious amounts of ground pork in my freezer. I suppose that is what happens when the Farmer is a pork producer. My kids love ground pork, the Farmer loves ground pork, so I am always trying to come up with fun and flavorful recipes that use ground pork. These enchiladas definitely fit the fun and flavorful bill, and are also probably my favorite way to use ground pork.

Try my Pico de Gallo along with these enchiladas! They are fantastic paired together!

Green Chili Pork Enchiladas

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

A unique twist on a favorite dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 28 ounce can of green enchilada sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8-10 flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions:

1. In a sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk. Cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth and whisk. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Whisk in the green chili enchilada sauce and cilantro. Simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the ground pork and onion in a skillet until pork is fully cooked. Drain any grease. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer.
5. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.

To assemble and bake the enchiladas:

1. Grease a 9x13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For each enchilada, scoop about 1/4 cup meat mixture onto a tortilla. Add 1 tablespoon each sauce and shredded cheese. Roll up and place in greased pan.
3. Once all the meat is used, Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas in the pan. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour, until sauce is bubbling and cheese starts to brown on top. 
5. Let sit and rest for 20 to 25 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, lettuce, tomato, onion, or salsa.

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Basic Meatloaf

If you need a basic meatloaf recipe, look no further. This is the one that you need. My family likes to have a simple meatloaf once in a while, and after years of adjusting amounts and spices here or there, this is the one that they love the most. I love that since my family is small and my kids are young, I can actually get by with baking only half of this meatloaf and putting half in the freezer for later. That certainly helps on a busy weeknight!

I also like this recipe because I can use both ground pork and ground beef. I'm always looking for ideas to use ground pork because I don't always like it as a substitute for ground beef. Ground pork doesn't always work well in place of ground beef in some recipes. But the mix of both of the meats in this meatloaf is perfect. I also think that this bakes up less greasy than other meatloaf recipes because of the use of oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.

We usually eat this with baked potatoes and corn. It's the way I ate it while growing up, so it's how I serve it now. Plus the potatoes can bake while the meatloaf bakes, making supper that much easier!

Basic Meatloaf

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

This is the basic meatloaf recipe that you need.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce, divided
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard sized loaf pan.
2. In a bowl, mix the ground beef, ground pork, oatmeal, egg, onion, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and half of the tomato sauce.
3. Put mixture into the prepared loaf pan and pat down lightly.
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining tomato sauce with the brown sugar.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in.
5. Pour sauce over the meatloaf.
6. Cover and bake for 60-65 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of baking.
7. If you are freezing half, prepare two pans and divide the meat mixture and sauce between the two pans. Cover and freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

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Hot Beef Sundae Twice Baked Potatoes

It's cold, rainy, windy, and downright dreary today. I was reading somewhere that the Iowa State Fair is still deciding on how the fair will look this year due to COVID-19. Which makes today even more dreary. It just won't be summer without the Iowa State Fair.

Then I remembered that I have some leftover roast beef in the freezer (Bonus! I love when I can use leftovers!), and I can make these twice baked potatoes that remind me of those hot and humid summer days at the most wonderful fair in the world. The Iowa Beef Producers make one of the most iconic fair foods, the Hot Beef Sundae. There is always a long line for these savory sundaes. Its a bowl full of yummy goodness that includes mashed potatoes, roast beef with gravy, cheese, and a tomato. Its no wonder people wait a long time to get one. These sundaes are one of my very favorite foods to get at the Iowa State Fair, and are the inspiration for these twice baked potatoes that I created. So, if you are missing the fair and hot summer nights like me, give these a try.

Hot Beef Sundae Twice Baked Potatoes

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Inspired by an Iowa State Fair classic!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 packet brown gravy mix, 0.87 ounce
• 1 cup roast beef
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 grape tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Wash potatoes and poke with a fork. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, prepare gravy according to package directions.
3. Heat roast beef in microwave until heated through.
4. Cut potatoes in half and scoop out flesh, leaving about a quarter inch next to the skins. Save the extra potato in a small bowl.
5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add milk and heat through.
6. Mash the extra potato. Add the milk and butter mixture and stir to make mashed potatoes.
7. Scoop the mashed potatoes equally into the 4 potato skins.
8. Add 1/4 cup of roast beef on top of the mashed potatoes.
9. Add 1/4 cup gravy on top of the beef.
10. Top each potato skin with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar cheese.
11. Bake potatoes in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
12. Top each potato with a grape tomato and serve.

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The Best Fruit Dip

This is my absolute favorite way to eat fruit. This sweet and creamy dip is the perfect complement for your favorite fruits. We love it with strawberries, grapes, pineapple, apples, and different kinds of berries. We've even slathered it on toast and bagels. Plus it is ridiculously easy and quick to make! It's so easy my kids can make it.

As a child, I remember my grandmother making this fruit dip for family gatherings. She always had this fruit dip and my grandfather always made sure he had the strawberries for us. My siblings and I could eat this entire dip in one sitting. We just couldn't get enough of this amazingly sweet concoction. I'm glad my grandmother showed me how to make it so I can share it with my kids and I can pass down the treasured memories.

Best Fruit Dip

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

This is my favorite way to eat fruit!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of softened strawberry cream cheese
• 7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese and marshmallow fluff together.
2. Serve immediately with your favorite fruit, or chill until ready to eat.

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Perfect Fluffy Waffles

Waffles. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or supper. You can go traditional and add butter and syrup (my personal favorite!) or dress them up with whipped cream and fruit. Or how about chicken and waffles? They really are very versatile. And let's not forget delicious. They definitely are delicious. You just can't go wrong with waffles.

We eat a lot of pancakes and waffles at my house, especially for lunch. My dancer loves pancakes and my little farmer loves waffles, so we usually alternate between the two. If I were to choose, I'd have to side with my little farmer and go team waffles. We even go all out and celebrate birthdays with a stack of warm, fluffy birthday waffles (or pancakes) for breakfast. It has become a tradition that the kids look forward to every year. Birthday waffles with candles to celebrate another year of growing up are part of every birthday morning.

You don't need a fancy waffle maker to make great waffles. I have this Black and Decker one. It is simple, with no temperature dial or way to flip. I just plug it in and go, and the indicator light tells me when it's ready. Plus it is easy peasy to clean - bonus! I often make extra waffles and store them in the freezer. They make a great quick breakfast in the mornings, or even a great after school snack. I store each one individually in a sandwich baggie, then put them all in a freezer gallon ziploc.

Perfect Fluffy Waffles

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

Like the title says, these waffles are perfect and fluffy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 melted butter

Instructions:

1. Heat waffle iron and grease with cooking spray if necessary.
2. Add dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk.
3. Stir in wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Add about 3/4 cup of batter to the iron for each waffle.
5. Cook until done.
6. This recipe was adapted from my favorite waffle recipe from Betty Crocker. https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/waffles/f4760054-72a9-4316-9377-f636dd58bc8e

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Spaghetti Sauce

Have I mentioned that I love pasta? If not, I love pasta. My kids love pasta. The farmer thinks we eat too much pasta. But when it comes to pasta, I'm not sure I need his opinion.😉
I created this sauce with a few extra veggies in it for my kids. They just aren't big veggie eaters, and I thought I could trick them into eating more with this sauce. And you know what? It worked. I learned to mince everything real fine, and they won't know the difference.

This is the sauce that I make when I have time for homemade sauce with my spaghetti and meatballs. It really is simple to make and uses ingredients that can be found in your pantry. I do use finely minced carrot and green pepper as my hidden veggies. The carrot adds the sweetness you need to cut the acidity from the tomatoes so there is no need for any sugar. In the summer, I throw in some hidden zucchini as well. (Shhh..... don't tell the kids!)

Spaghetti Sauce

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

This sauce is simple to make and uses ingredients found in your pantry.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/3 cup finely minced carrot
• 1/4 cup finely minced green pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced (use 4 cloves if small)
• 28 ounce can tomato puree
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian blend seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium high heat.
2. Add the carrot, green pepper, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.
3. Add the minced garlic and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Add the tomato puree, water, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning.
5. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until some of the water has reduced. 
6. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Notes:

If you made meatballs, add them before you simmer. This sauce freezes well. Freeze it in a freezer safe container.

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Meatballs

I've been making this meatball recipe most of my life. When I was growing up, this is the recipe that my parents used whenever we had spaghetti and meatballs. My parents didn't really measure the seasonings, and that is how I learned to add a little of this and a little of that.
As an adult, I've written down the measurements and made a couple changes. My parents always used ground beef for these meatballs. I still do sometimes, but I have found that my family prefers ground pork. I've determined set amounts for the seasonings, and I make sure to crush the saltines fine with my food processor. As a child, we used our hands and frustrations to crush the crackers.

I start by putting all of my ingredients into a bowl. You can mix the seasoning with the crushed crumbs first to make sure that the seasonings get evenly distributed. I like to use saltines instead of breadcrumbs because I think that it makes a sturdier meatball that can hold up to heavier sauces.

I mix everything up with my hands. I just don't see any better way to do it!

I preheat the oil in my cast iron skillet. The oil will take about 5-10 minutes to heat up on a medium high heat setting. I usually look for the oil to start to have a ripple look to it. It will have a consistency more like water.

Next up is making the meatballs. Most of the time, I use my hands to pick off sections of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. You can use a cookie scoop to make sure you get meatballs that are the same size.

Fry them up. See that golden brown color? That is perfect. You want to fry the meatballs for 15-20 minutes and use tongs to roll the meatballs around every few minutes to make sure that they cook on all sides.

See all these little bits and leftover oil? Don't toss it! This is perfect to start your sauce!

These meatballs are perfect for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, casseroles, and Swedish meatballs. You can try them in your favorite recipes for meatballs.

If you are going to freeze the meatballs, cool them completely and store them in a freezer ziploc baggie. They are super convenient to have in the freezer on busy nights!

Meatballs

Author: The Marigold Kitchen

These are a perfect meatball for any dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 sleeve saltine crackers (about 39 crackers)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Crush the saltine crackers to make fine crumbs.
2. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with your hands to combine.
3. Preheat a skillet with 2-3 tablespoons oil.
4. While the skillet heats, roll your meat mixture into meatballs. You can use a cookie scoop to get uniform meatballs.
5. Fry meatballs for 15-20 minutes, rolling over every three minutes or so to allow for all sizes to cook and brown.
6. Use the drippings and bits of meatball left in the pan to start your sauce, if needed.
7. These also freeze very well. Store in a freezer gallon bag.

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