Fire-Roasted Corn in Miso Butter (Grilled Corn on the Cob)

We finally made it to Ashland, Oregon. The place we're staying at is fantastic and has a large barbecue grill. I decided to take advantage of it and grill fresh corn while the family was having fun in the swimming pool.

Instead of seasoning the corn with regular salt, I used white miso paste, which is a fermented rice and soybean combination. I chose white miso paste which is fermented for only a few weeks, as opposed to regular miso which is fermented for several months. I find the flavor to be less salty, with a subtle sweetness. Of course, if you don't have miso paste on hand, you could always use regular salt, but what would be the fun in that?

French Rice Salad Recipe

Salade de riz aux légumes is my attempt to serve my family healthy food that doesn't sacrifice flavor. As you may have noticed, I have a tendency to make food that is a bit rich. We're all trying to workout more and get into good shape, and while I won't ever give up butter and cream, I've learned that I don't have to put it in every dish.

The rice salad is made with a blend of both brown and white rice for a balanced texture. I also added a mix of vegetables that are available this time of the season (the zucchini and squash are from our garden). I used fresh steamed corn, roasted bell peppers, diced tomatoes, grilled eggplant, edamame and tofurkey.

Since there is no cheese involved, I was afraid the rice salad would lack flavor, so I made spicy vinaigrette. Since I still need "real" protein besides the edamame beans and tofurkey, I added smoked turkey in a separate batch. Everyone enjoyed it, myself included!

How to Make Super Moist Cornbread

In France, almost all breads are wheat flour-based, so my first experience with cornbread was a real treat. I love the sweetness of the corn. The texture, when prepared properly, is fluffy and light, but all too often I've had cornbread that was overly dry and crumbly.

After much experimentation, I've created an ultra moist cornbread recipe that is also easy to make. As proof, the cornbread you seen in the pictures was made by my 13-year-old sister-in-law, Sunny. I gave her the recipe last night and this morning she cooked it from scratch on her own.

For flavor, I added both pickled and roasted jalapeños and parmesan cheese. I think these ingredients are the best complements to the natural sweetness of the corn. You could also add finely chopped nuts or chopped dried cranberries if you wanted a more sweet / tart flavor.

If you're feeling a bit apprehensive about preparing homemade cornbread this year, just remember, if a 13 -year-old can do it, so can you.

Roasted Beet and Corn Salad with Tangerine Vinaigrette

I love beets. They have a wonderful sweetness and texture. I sometimes cook beets into hot dishes, but my favorite way to enjoy beets is in a simple salad. For this particular recipe, I paired the beets with a tangerine vinaigrette with tangerine-infused oil and tangerine juice. The vinaigrette brightens the flavor of the dish and acts as a nice complement to the flavor of the beets. I also added corn to create a contrast of texture and color. The result is a salad with some very bold flavors.

Sweet Coconut Red Bean Soup with Corn

The whole family went last weekend to our favorite dim-sum place and we had a sweet coconut red rice soup with corn for dessert. I've probably said it before, but Asian desserts are not always the most glamourous-looking sweets.

Looks can be deceiving though, and the girls love it so much that they asked me to make it at home. Give it a try!