~ Corn & Onions

1 large green onion = 2T chopped

Did you know it can only be called a “Vidalia” Onion if it is grown in one of 20 counties in SE Georgia.  Harvesting usually occurs in late April and goes thru mid-June.  Stock up while they are in season!  These sweet pale onions were first grown in the 1930s near Vidalia, GA.  The flavor is due to the low amounts of sulfur in the sandy soil where they are grown.


THE VERY BEST EVER (& EASY TOO!) CORN CASSEROLE
(Dallas Times Herald)
I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me for this recipe!
***FAMILY FAVORITE***

16 oz can yellow cream style corn
16 oz regular corn, drained
1 cup Bisquick
1 egg, beaten
2 T oil
½ c milk
6 oz cheddar cheese, grated
Jalapeno peppers, blended or chopped very fine, to taste
OPTIONAL: sliced green onion, chopped red pepper

Combine all ingredients and pour into greased 2 qt baking dish.
Bake at 400° for 30 min. til browned.

FOR a GREAT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE:
Leave out Jalapenos & add to above:
½ can (4.5oz) can green chilies, chopped
½ lb HOT sausage, fried and crumbled.
Serve with Picante Sauce.


CORN ON COB  

FRESH:  Husk just as you are ready to cook it.
Drop into boiling kettle of water.
Cook, covered for 3 min after water returns to boil.

MICROWAVING FRESH:  No husking needed.
Rinse ears briefly in cold water.
Don’t cook over 6 ears at a time or they won’t cook evenly.  Microwave as follows, turning ears at halfway point.
After corn has cooked and stood for set time, peel husk back slightly and check for doneness.
If not done, cook in 30 second increments til done.
After husking, can keep warm by wrapping in foil.

# Ears    Min.on HI pwr    Standing time
1            2-3            3
2            3-4            3
4            5-6            3
6            7-8            3

FROZEN:  Do not thaw.  Plunge in boiling water and cook.


ONIONS, LEEKS, SHALLOTS & SCALLIONS   – Their flavors vary!!

Yellow and white onions have a sharp taste when raw, and sweeten when cooked.
Red onions start out sweeter and are a good choice for salads and sandwiches.
Called dry or storage onions, they are air-dried after harvest, resulting in the papery skin that protects the moist flesh inside.

Green Onions, also called Scallions are fresh onions.
They have long, thin green leaves and small white bulbs. Have very mild onion flavor.

Leeks have the appearance of overgrown scallions, with tough green leaves atop an elongated white bulb. Only the white and light green parts are used. Have a light onion flavor.
Excellent addition to soups and sauteed dishes. Must be cleaned carefully to get rid of the dirt that hides between their layers.

Shallots, also called Pearl onions, look like small dry onions with a papery skin that may be copper, golden or pale gray. Have marvelous flavor and can be substituted for other type onions in many recipes.


 

BAKED VIDALIA ONIONS    (June, 2011)

2 Vidalia onions (in season April-May-June-July)
1/2 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t chopped rosemary
½ t chopped thyme
2 T margarine
2 T balsamic vinegar

Peel each onion and cut off the root end.
Make 2-4 cuts across top of each onion, cutting only 2/3 way down to create wedges.
Set each onion in the center of a 12” square of aluminum foil.
Sprinkle with the seasonings and top each with 1 T margarine.
Pull the foil up on sides around each onion, creating a pouch, but leave the top exposed.
Pour 1 T vinegar into each onion.
Bake at 350° for one hour.  Spoon juice in pouch over onion when serving.