Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets
We have been getting great produce from our local farmer partners, and the sweet corn has been outstanding! We have plenty, and will continue to showcase it in stores.
Our Produce department is very innovative, and they have worked out some wonderful regional partnerships with our farmers. Several farms across our six states help bring local produce together from smaller farms. This ensures the freshest corn and produce from local farms gets to local stores at its peak, and also that we are getting the highest quality, best tasting local produce to our communities. Our farmers have shared that they love this system – when they had to deliver to multiple stores themselves, they had to do it at night, after a long, hot day of farming. Now they can add back some of that travel time into their busy schedules. Win for you, our guests, win for the farmer and win for the produce team.
It’s hot, and we know you want to grill if you have to cook. From Heather Eckhardt at Kinderhook Creek Farm in Stephenstown, NY, a great method for grilling corn is outlined here. We also have a delicious kabob recipe from Hillshire Farm – full of fresh veggies, they are easy eats on a hot summer night.
Recipe adapted from Hillshire Farms
Zesty Italian Sausage Kabobs
4 servings, 1 ½ kabobs per serving
1 pkg. Hillshire Farms Lite Smoked Sausage or Turkey Kielbasa
2 ears sweet corn, husked and cleaned, broken into thirds
3 small red potatoes, halved
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
6 cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1 inch slices
6 large fresh mushrooms
1 cup Italian salad dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine salad dressing and garlic, set aside. Boil corn and potatoes for 5 minutes, until barely tender, drain. Slice sausage into one inch slices – thread sausage and vegetables on 6 skewers. Brush dressing on kabobs. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning often and basting generously. Enjoy!
Corn grilling secrets from sweet corn farmers, Heather and Larry Eckhardt
Pull the husks down and remove all of the silk. Soak in water for one hour. Drain, pull the husk back up and tie the top with a strip of husk or twine. Place ears on a grill over hot coals or low flame, and roast slowly for 20-25 minutes.
Recipe adapted from Hillshire Farms
Zesty Italian Sausage Kabobs
4 servings, 1 ½ kabobs per serving
1 pkg. Hillshire Farms Lite Smoked Sausage or Turkey Kielbasa
2 ears sweet corn, husked and cleaned, broken into thirds
3 small red potatoes, halved
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
6 cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1 inch slices
6 large fresh mushrooms
1 cup Italian salad dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
Combine salad dressing and garlic, set aside. Boil corn and potatoes for 5 minutes, until barely tender, drain. Slice sausage into one inch slices – thread sausage and vegetables on 6 skewers. Brush dressing on kabobs. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning often and basting generously. Enjoy!
Corn grilling secrets from sweet corn farmers, Heather and Larry Eckhardt
Pull the husks down and remove all of the silk. Soak in water for one hour. Drain, pull the husk back up and tie the top with a strip of husk or twine. Place ears on a grill over hot coals or low flame, and roast slowly for 20-25 minutes.