Sundial Block

 

We love fresh corn at Independence Day cookouts, but it’s complicated. July 4, local cornstalks are still growing. The ears for sale took days to get here, and were probably picked in June. The best corn was picked TODAY. John surprised me with a dozen ears he’d bought July 2, thinking we could eat them two days later. It was thoughtful, but they were already well past their prime. I froze them, to use in recipes like this:

 

Slow-Cooker Summer Corn Chowder

 

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

32 ounces frozen corn, divided

1 pound potatoes, diced

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup cream

2 tablespoons butter

 

Place peppers, lemon juice and 1/2 cup corn in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until dinnertime. Dump remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours. Garnish with pepper/lemon/corn.