Urgent! I must get this recipe to you before corn season's over–– this creamed corn recipe is fabulously delicious and soooo easy.

My husband, Leroy, often tells me, "You've introduced me to so many foods I'd never eaten– artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, parsley, bean sprouts, snow peas, eggplant, dates, avocados . . ." That's all fine and good, but I have him to thank for this recipe.

Corn was plentiful on his family's 65-acre farm in Oklahoma, and creamed corn was a staple. The fresher the corn, the better. According to Leroy, here's how to tell if the corn is fresh– pull back the husks a little, and pierce a kernel with your thumbnail. If it's fresh, thin skin will pop– tough skin dents.

The secret is in how the corn is removed from the cob. Since this is a one-woman photo show around here, I couldn't photograph 'how' in the picture– so let me explain. Take a small serrated knife and cut off just the top of the kernels. Then use that nice serrated edge and drag it down the cob scooping out the pulp as you go. Above, to the right, are the tops of the kernels and to the left is the pulp. Get the idea?

Place the corn in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, with a few tablespoons of water (two or three). Turn the burner to medium, or a little below (if you're the patient type). As the corn begins to bubble, it might need a little more water. The low heat is to keep the corn from burning. Using as little water as possible keeps the flavor rich. By the time that all the corn is heated through it's pretty much done. Suit yourself in the doneness department. You know how some people boil corn on the cob for only 1 or 2 minutes?  I'm one of those. Add salt and fresh ground white pepper.

Heavenly Creamed Corn

6-8 ears of sweet white corn
Water by the tablespoon
Salt and fresh ground white pepper

Cut off the corn kernel tips by running a serrated knife down the length of the cob, and all around. Scoop out the pulp by dragging the serrated edge down the cob. Place corn in a heavy bottomed pan, and add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water to start.  Cook at medium or medium low heat. When it starts bubbling, stir and check the bottom of the pan for browning (which you don't want). Add a little more water. When all the corn is bubbling and heated through, add salt and fresh ground white pepper. Serves 4.

I marvel when I see creamed corn recipes that call for butter, cream, flour, and even sugar. The corn provides all the goodness in the recipe– pure and simple.

When I was a kid, we had creamed corn often, but it came in a tin can. There's no comparison, and if you're lucky enough to have left overs, it's fab for breakfast.

Thanks to Leroy and his mom, Livator Parker, for the recipe!

The grapes were so juicy and tasty–– all the images of grape stomping women I've ever seen began filling my head. How could I not juice our Vitis vinifera 'Purpurea'? Surly I should try.

I didn't bother googling a grape juice how-to. I did think of borrowing a juicer – but no – what I really wanted was to squeeze them through my fingers.

T h e  P r o c e s s

The harvested grapes in two 5-gallon buckets

I filled the buckets with water to get rid of cobwebs and to allow critters to rise to the surface. One ladybug and many little white spiders appeared. Sometimes they'd be on a  grape floating island.

The clean grapes glamming for the camera.

I probably should have worn gloves.

Fatigued after too much squeezing, I got out my potato masher. It wasn't much help though. The next stop for seeds and skins will be the compost heap.

Fresh-squeezed homemade grape juice!

I didn't want to get grape juice all over everything, so I wore black and did all the work outside. I still ended up pouring boiling water through grape stains on two light colored shirts and one white bathrobe, over the course of 3  grape-centered days. As for the hands– gloves just didn't seem appropriate.

Of course it's not wine, but the juice is so rich and flavorful that small sips, as one would drink wine, are best for savoring and tasting. Our yield was 1.5 gallons.

Dear readers, if you have juicing tips or stories let me know. I'd love to hear from you in the comment box below.

After saying she had no food preferences, my sister Judy, who would soon be visiting from Oregon, asked, “ Do you still dump everything on top of salad?”

I laughed and didn’t say anything, while thinking–  I thought she liked my salads.

We eat so much salad at our house– at one time I wanted to do a blog titled “Lettuce Eat.”

I was a little shy about making dinner on the night of Judy’s arrival, but I went ahead with something simple that I hoped she’d like. Judy loved the dish and later told me her salad inquiry didn’t come out quite right.

My personal favorite marinade ingredients.

Chicken and Asparagus Salad

1 lb. of chicken tenders

1 red bell pepper

1 bunch of asparagus

Marinade– it could be bottled, or your favorite homemade concoction. I often use: Splashes (2 or 3 Tablespoons each) of olive oil, soy sauce, and sherry

½ t. red pepper flakes,

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

grated ginger (unpeeled)

Salt & pepper

Dressing– olive oil and balsamic vinegar

Marinate the chicken (I used a Ziploc bag) for a few hours in the fridge. Cut asparagus into 1½ inch pieces, place in a pan, cover with water, and boil for 1 minute. Drain asparagus and toss, in the pan, with a splash of olive oil and a shake of salt. Set pan aside. Lay chicken tenders on a baking sheet and cook at 500° for 5 minutes. Slice bell pepper and cooked chicken, and toss with asparagus. Sprinkle with about 1T each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add salt and crushed black pepper to taste. Serve on top of salad (your choice), which is also dressed with oo and balsamic. Shredded fresh basil is a welcome addition to the chicken or the salad.

These are the salad ingredients used on picture day. I love corn and often take a handful out of a package of frozen corn, defrost it in hot water, and squeeze out the excess moisture. It's perfect– no cooking necessary.