Street Corn Chicken Bowls 🌽🍗

Ingredients

For the chicken + rice

• 1½–2 lb chicken breasts
• 2 cups rice
• 1 tbsp chili lime seasoning
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• A little oil, for cooking

For the street corn

• 2 cans corn, drained
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼–½ cup blended cottage cheese
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 lime
• Cilantro, chopped, to taste
• 1 jalapeño, diced, optional

Directions

1. Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to the package directions.
2. Prep the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
3. Season: Toss the chicken with chili lime seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Cook the chicken: Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
5. Brown the corn: Add the drained corn to the same skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn starts to brown and char slightly.
6. Make the street corn mixture: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir the sour cream, blended cottage cheese, shredded cheddar, chopped cilantro, and juice of the lime into the warm corn. Add diced jalapeño if using.
7. Assemble the bowls: Divide the rice between bowls. Top with the seasoned chicken and a generous spoonful of the creamy street corn mixture.

A little extra lime juice, cilantro, chili lime seasoning, or sliced jalapeño on top would be really good here too. 🌶️🍋‍🟩

Maple Dijon Cream Sauce

 Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 small shallot or ¼ small onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• Black pepper
• Pinch of salt, if needed

Directions

• Melt the butter in a skillet and cook the shallot for 2–3 minutes.
• Add garlic for about 30 seconds.
• Pour in the broth and scrape up all the browned bits.
• Stir in the cream, Dijon, maple syrup, thyme, and pepper.
• Simmer for about 3–5 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Garlic Green Beans 🧄

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and just tender.
2. Drain well. For crisper beans, rinse briefly with cold water or transfer to an ice bath, then dry.
3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
5. Add the green beans, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the beans are hot and lightly blistered.
6. Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice. Finish with Parmesan if you want.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Chicken Rotini

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 16 oz rotini pasta
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 jar (15–16 oz) Alfredo sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup reserved pasta water, as needed

Directions

1. Load the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Scatter the diced onion over the chicken.
2. Add the sauce: Pour the marinara and Alfredo sauces over everything. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
3. Slow cook: Cover and cook until the chicken is tender:
• LOW: 5–6 hours
• HIGH: 3–4 hours
4. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker and stir it into the creamy tomato sauce.
5. Cook the rotini separately: About 20 minutes before serving, cook the rotini in well-salted water until just al dente. Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
6. Finish the pasta: Stir the cooked rotini into the slow cooker along with the mozzarella and Parmesan. If the sauce is thicker than you like, stir in a little reserved pasta water.
7. Let everything come together: Cover and cook on LOW for another 10–15 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.

Notes

• Add 3 minced garlic cloves with the onion, and stir in 2–3 handfuls of baby spinach when you add the pasta. The spinach wilts right into the sauce and doesn't really change the comfort-food vibe.

Source

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZCdrlxjft/

How To: Homegrown Peanuts

Cure them for Roasting and Cooking

Step 1: Cleaning and Curing (Drying)

Wash: Rinse the harvested peanut pods thoroughly in cold water to remove all dirt and soil. Discard any floating or damaged "dud" pods.
Cure: Hang the entire harvested plant or spread the cleaned pods in a single layer in a warm, dry, and well-ventilated area (like a covered porch or garage) for 2 to 4 weeks.
Test: They are fully cured when the shells look dry and faded, and the peanut kernels inside rattle when shaken or feel hard and brittle.

Step 2: Choose Your Preparation Method

Once cured, shell the peanuts if a recipe calls for shelled nuts, or leave them in their shells for boiling or traditional roasting.

Option A: Making Boiled Peanuts (Use Fresh/Green or Rehydrated Peanuts)

If you skip drying and use freshly harvested (green) peanuts, you can boil them immediately.

• Wash: Scrub the fresh, undried pods clean.
• Soak: For fully cured/dry raw peanuts, soak them in salted water overnight (skip this if using fresh green peanuts).
• Boil: Place the peanuts in a large pot, cover with water by a couple of inches, and add plenty of salt (the water should taste like a well-seasoned soup). Weigh the floating peanuts down with a heatproof plate.
• Simmer: Cover and simmer on low for 2 to 4 hours for fresh green peanuts, or 5 to 8 hours for cured dry peanuts, adding water as needed until soft.

Option B: Roasting Peanuts for Snacking or Baking

Optional Brine: For extra flavor, soak clean, raw unshelled or shelled peanuts in a saltwater solution for 8 to 10 hours, then pat them dry.
Roast: Spread the dry peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake: Roast in a preheated oven at 325°F to 350°F for 15 to 25 minutes (if pre-soaked or raw, it may take 45 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Cool: Remove them just before they reach your desired roastiness, as they continue cooking while cooling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAI9KmgK66Y&t=1s