We've been caught up in the whirlwind of John's graduation this year - prom, the senior all-night party, graduation, the grad party, everyone else's grad party.... It's felt like a lot, and I didn't really know what to expect as Anna graduated in the middle of Covid shutdowns. It was wonderful in a lot of ways but also very hectic, and I'd be lying to you if I didn't admit that there were a lot of emotions on my part. Even though both my kids are living at home for the foreseeable future, there is a sense of loss. They don't need us in the ways they used to (other than driving John places, because the driver's license saga continues. Sigh.) and it's the start of the empty nesting that friends have warned me about. Like everything else to do with parenting, you can't really understand it until you're going through it.
With all the frantic activity of May, it was wonderful to be invited to our friends' house for dinner over Memorial Day weekend - one less thing to think about and plan. As much as I despise Pinterest (I actually have a plug-in for my browser called Unpinterested, which removes all Pinterest results from my searches), I will freely admit that this summer corn salad that Jen found is an absolute winner and has found its place on our table several times already. It stays crunchy for at least a few days - I made enough for leftovers - and it's a nice side for tacos, burgers, chicken, or anything else that wants some summer corn with it. In my opinion, this is just about everything, as I never get sick of corn, but it's nice to have something a little more dressed up than the steamed or grilled corn that's my go-to. I'd definitely take it to a party though I'd be careful about the mayo; not that I actually think it would last once people get a taste of it.
In a pinch I think you could probably use frozen baby corn; we'll see if I get a craving for this mid-winter (I will) and I'll report back.
I'm a Pinterest idiot so I really don't know who to attribute this to, but it will always be my friend Jen's corn salad in my mind. The link I followed had ingredients but no instructions, but it seemed pretty basic to me - combine everything and reduce the number of bowls you need to wash.
The Other Jen's Corn Salad
1 cup chopped cilantro
4 cups corn, ideally cut off the cob
1 jalapeno or equivalent squeeze of jalapeno paste from the tube you found at Aldi
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 chopped red onion or equivalent amount of green onions, depending on what you have on hand
4 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
3 Tbsp sour cream
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup Cotija cheese, if you can find it
Combine the cilantro and vegetables in a large bowl. Mix together the rest of the ingredients except the Cotija cheese, then fold into the vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese on top before serving, or put it on the side if you have a picky teenager who doesn't like dairy and can't possibly be your child.
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