Grilled Mexican Corn Recipe with Blue Cheese

In the farm world of yester-year there is a saying “knee-high by Fourth of July”. It means all is well with your corn crop and the growth is on schedule. Well these days you can get fresh corn as early as Memorial Day – or year round in some parts – but the I still believe the sweetest corn is late season corn grown in New Jersey {sorry… it’s the Jersey girl in me that I just can’t shake!}. Late season Jersey corn hardly needs butter, just a touch of salt and pepper and it is perfect!

Early season corn, however, frequently needs a little more dressing up to bring out the flavor and an easy grilled Mexican corn recipe does the trick for me. Also known as Mexican street corn, or Elotes, is a basic traditional recipe using mayonnaise, sour cream, queso fresco or cotija, chili powder, fresh lime and of course a charcoal grill.

You know I always like to add a special touch to the look of the table and for this Mexican corn recipe I stripped back the husks, removed the silk and tied them back with bakers twine. The effect is super chic and it also creates a natural handle for serving and eating the corn. If you or your guests prefer they can easily snap off the top once the corn is grilled.

This subtle twist on the original grilled Mexican corn recipe offers the tangy bite of blue cheese and thyme – and the benefit of using ingredients easily found in most stores around the country. The thyme came straight from the herb garden at my mother’s house so it included extra love – but you can use traditional thyme as well, or really any herb growing in your garden this season.

This recipe is great for summer entertaining because you par-cook the ears before placing them on the grill which will save cooking time when your guests are arriving as well as space on the grill for the other items on your menu. Be sure your grill is hot before placing the ears on, you are mainly using it for grill marks and the smokey charcoal flavor, a low heat may cook the corn more than you wish – you may also adjust the boiling portion if your prefer to cook them completely on the grill.

Grilled Mexican Corn with Blue Cheese

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And, if you are looking for even more ways to celebrate everyday check out An Appealing Plan the book.

Call it a trend or a return to the past, but I believe we are bringing back entertaining at home, lingering over a table after a lovingly prepared meal with friends. It has been a way of life and passion of mine my entire adult life, and I am thrilled to be able to invite you on this journey with me through a year of celebrating every day. Filled with recipes, tablescapes, floral inspiration and seasonal entertaining ideas An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations, is a dream come true for me a true honor to be able to share it with you. To learn more about An Appealing Plan :: A Year of Everyday Celebrations here. And of course, share how you are celebrating everyday.

June 20, 2015June 27, 2015

The Ultimate Summer Solstice Cocktail

For me there are two culinary reminders that the Summer Solstice is here – lemonade and lavender. I still can hear the calm voice of the Country Time Lemonade commercials from the 80’s letting us all know that “summer is just a short 94 days long this year…”, those precious fleeting days of warmth and feeling free, perfectly accented by the sweetness of a tall glass of lemony goodness. And as an adult, with a garden of my own, the sounds of bumble bees buzzing around the just opened lavender buds summon me to gathering them up and bring them into the kitchen to make a batch of lavender syrup has become a tradition marking the arrival of summer.

This year I am whipping up a batch of The Ultimate Summer Solstice cocktail for my friends on The Daily Basics and to my greet guests as they arrive for the solstice celebration.

GET THE SUMMER SOLSTICE COCKTAIL RECIPE + LEARN MORE HERE

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And, if you are looking for even more ways to celebrate everyday check out An Appealing Plan the book.

June 13, 2014April 12, 2022

How To Make Your Own Nautical Centerpiece.

Did you know that the glass floats we love to use in our summer decor were originally used in the 1930’s by fishermen in many parts of the world to keep their fishing nets, as well as longlines or droplines afloat. In fact they were so abundant you can still find them floating in the seas today. Original Japanese glass fishing floats, as they are also called, are now popular collectors’ items and can be found in vintage stores or as reproductions in design stores.

Collect a few glass floats in different colors from your local vintage store and pair them with a handmade rope wrapped vase filled with flowers and use them to create your own nautical centerpiece.

Mixing in vintage nautical pieces with some items that you may find in your local stores is the perfect way to create a nautical centerpiece. For this particular tablescape, we are going to start with a singular clear vase. I like to use square or straight side vases, as this ensures the ribbon will go up smoothly. If your vase has a slight tilt to it, it may change the way the ribbon lies.

We’re going to begin by placing the rope ribbon around the edge and measuring for length. Once you have the ribbon wound around, about twice, then apply the glue. Apply the glue, just to the edges, as you won’t need very much. Press down the edges and ensure that they are secure.

Fill with water and place blue and white flowers in the vase.

To complete your centerpiece, top your table with either a large a fishing net or bunch it in the center for a more casual feel. Group the nautical glass balls around the floral and finish it off with coordinating nautical style votives.

This centerpiece is ideal for summer parties, beach weddings or simply to decorate the table for the summer season.

See more of my projects on eHow.com.

May 22, 2014June 27, 2015

Entertaining Summer Style: Finds For Your Table

Memorial Day. Fourth of July. Labor Day. Three holiday weekends that are classic summer entertaining opportunities. You can almost feel the excitement building in the air as the dates approach. Our Nations colors become part of our home and tablescape design. Fly your flag high and break out the Red, White & Blue with these #SummerStyle Entertaining picks we think are must haves for your next gathering.

PRODUCT LISTING + BUYING INFORMATION:

1} Lobster Cocktail Napkins by Caspari available via PaperStyle ~ $5

2} Red & White Star Paper Straws by Shop Sweet LuLu ~ $4

3} Red Rustic Serving Tray by FasProjects ~ $80

4} Blue Striped Melamine Plates by West Elm ~ $6

5} Red Bikini Tags by AnAppealingPlan for Etsy ~ $6

Do you have a special platter or tablecloth you bring out for your summer table? Tell us about it in the comments! Like + Share using the buttons below and be sure to sign up for everything AnAppealingPlan.com to your inbox using the form below. Happy Summer!