Fresh Corn Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion; chopped
3 cups fresh corn (about 6 ears)
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream (or half & half or milk)
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/2 red bell pepper; diced
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
Pinch of cayenne pepper or Tabasco to taste
Lime wedges

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook until softened and translucent. Stir in corn and garlic and continue to cook, stirring often until corn begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add broth and bring mixture to a simmer, for 15 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1½ cups of the corn mixture to a blender. Add cream and ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Slightly vent the top of the blender and carefully puree until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Return the puree to the pan.

Whisk in cornmeal and bring the soup to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in bell pepper, cilantro and cayenne. Serve hot or at room temperature with lime.

Fresh Green Bean Salad

2 ears of fresh sweet corn (2 cups)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 Vidalia or red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic; finely minced and mashed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes; cut in half
a hand-full of fresh basil leaves; chopped

Sprinkle corn with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast corn in a 425° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until just tender. Remove corn to rack to cool then cut corn from cob.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and simmer until beans are just tender but not too soft (4 to 5 minutes). If they are overcooked they will loose their vibrant color. Remove beans from hot water directly to ice water to stop the cooking and cool the beans. Remove to paper towels to dry completely.

Place garlic in the bottom of a large bowl along with vinegar and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in olive oil until all is well combined. When ready to serve, add corn, beans, onion, tomatoes and basil; toss and taste adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve right away. Inspired by recipe from Fine Cooking magazine.

This is a family favorite:

Black Beans and Roasted Corn Salad

3 ears of fresh corn
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1/2 of lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon each ground cumin & chili powder or 1 teaspoon Southwest Seasoning
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove; finely minced
1 (15 oz.) can Bush’s black beans; rinse & drain
1/2 cup minced onion (Vidalia or Red)
1 cup diced, seeded tomato (3 Roma)
1 sweet bell pepper; diced

Roast or grill corn until tender crisp; remove from ears and cool completely. In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, cilantro and garlic. Add beans to dressing along with corn, onion, tomato and bell pepper; toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Eat freshly made or the next day.

If desired, kick it up more by adding one jalapeno pepper; seeded and diced.

*To roast corn, remove from husk, wash and dry well and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet in a 425° oven for about 20 minutes. Turn after half the cooking time.

**To grill corn, remove from husk and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a rack over hot coals until corn is tender-crisp and some of the kernels are blackened.

Marilyn

Lemon Brownies

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; room temperature
4 eggs
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Additional lemon zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Line the bottom only of a 9X13X2-inch baking dish with Parchment paper and spray with Pam. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt; add butter. Stir together eggs, juice from 1/2 lemon and zest from 1 lemon; stir into batter and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. When brownies are cool prepare glaze by stirring together powdered sugar and 2 tablespoon lemon juice; drizzle over brownies and sprinkle with additional lemon zest. Here is another picture

Marilyn

*Recipe inspired by Orange Brownies by Robin Wilson, 39th Pillsbury Bake-off finalists. Presented on the Food Network by Paula Deen. (Original recipe also called for more sugar and an orange glaze was brushed on warm brownies.)

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

French Baguette
===============
1 package dry active yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour (bread flour)
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups cold water plus 1/3 or so additional water

Place the flour, yeast and salt in the bowl of the food process. Pulse to mix. Add 1 1/3 cups of water and process until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn't form a ball, add a little of the extra water. Process for about 60 seconds, turn off machine and let dough rest for 5 minutes.

Turn on the machine again and rotate the dough about 30 times under the cover, and then remove it to a lightly floured work surface. it should be fairly smooth and quite firm.

Let the dough rest for 2 minutes and then knead roughly and vigourously. The final dough should not stick to your hands as you knead (although it will stick if you pinch and hold a piece); it should be smooth and elastic and, when you hold it up between your hands and stretch it down, it should hold together smoothly.

Preliminary rise - 40 to 60 minutes at around 75°F. Place the dough into a clean dry bowl, (do not grease the bowl), cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place free from drafts. (note the French do not grease the bowl because they believe the dough needs a seat to push up from). This first rise is sufficient when the dough has definitely started to rise and is about 1 1/2 times its original volume.

Deflating:

Turn the dough onto your lightly floured work surface roughly and firmly pat and push it out into a 14 inch rectangle. Fold one of the long sides over toward the middle, and the other long side over to cover it, making a 3 layer cushion. Repeat the operation. This important step redistributes the yeast throughout the dough, for a strong second rise. Return the dough smooth side up the bowl; cover with plastic wrap and again set to rise.

Final rise in the bowl - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer. The bread should be 2 1/2 to 3 times its original bulk. It is the amount of rise that is important here, not the timing.

To Shape,

Cut the dough in half. Set one piece aside and cover with a towel.

On a lightly floured work surface pat the dough into a 14 inch rectangle, squaring it up as evenly as you can.

Fold the rectangle of dough in half lengthwise and using the heel of your hand, firmly press the edges together whether they meet. Seat well. Pound the dough flat. Now repeat - patting the dough out again and folding it over and sealing the edges. Pinch the edges well and Rotate the dough so that the sealed edge in on the bottom.

Repeat with second piece of dough.

Cover with plastic wrap or loosely with a towel and let rise to more than double again at about 75°f.

Place stone in oven and Preheat oven to 450°F. Slash three long cuts into the loaves and place on the hot stone. Immediately toss a number of ice cubes on to the bottom on the oven to create steam. Bake until bread is golden and has an interior temp of 200°F. Takes about 30 minutes.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Chicken Breasts With Mushroon Duxelles
======================================
Source: Lucy Waverman

This flavorful and elegant chicken is stuffed with a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms. Because the breasts are stuffed under the skin, the stuffing moistens the chicken meat and keeps it juicy. use either dried porcini or dried Chinese mushrooms; they have the most flavor. The sauce can be made ahead of time and the breasts stuffed a few hours before baking.

6 Dried mushrooms
1/2 cup boiling chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots
8 ounce fresh mushrooms finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil
3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 single boned chicken breasts, with skin on.

Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons port or Madeira
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
. 1.
Soak the mushrooms in boiling chicken broth for 20 minutes. Drain the
mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and the mushrooms
separately.Chop the mushrooms.

2.
Preheat the oven to 375°F

3.
Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the
shallots and dried and fresh mushrooms. Saute until all the liquid has
evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Stir in the basil
or tarragon, bread crumbs, cream and parsley. cook until the cream has
reduced and the filling is thick. Season with salt and pepper.

4.
Divide the filling in six portions. with your fingertips, make a
pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast. Stuff
the filling under the skin of the chicken breasts. Season the breasts
with salt and pepper and place in a buttered baking dish large enough
to hold the breasts in one layer.

5.
Bake for 30 or 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices run
clear.

6.
To make the sauce, in a frying pan, combine the onions and wine. On
high heat, bring to a boil and reduce until you have 1 tablespoon of
liquid.

7.
Pour in the mushroom liquid, reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add the
chicken stock and continue to boil until the stock is reduced by half.
Add the port and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce is
smooth and strongly flavored.

8.
Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce,
simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season
with salt and pepper and add any juices from the chicken. To serve,
pour the sauce over the chicken breasts.