The giveaway in this post is now closed, but keep reading for the succotash recipe!

This post is sponsored by Libby’s. All opinions are 100% my own, this recipe is delicious and there’s a sweet giveaway, so lots of goodness to be had!

I grew up on frozen corn. In fact, I don’t remember ever seeing canned corn in the house. I didn’t actually try canned corn until I was married, believe it or not, and I actually love it! Unlike frozen corn, I like how canned corn retains more of a crunch and has a nice sweet flavor. It’s one of my pantry staples for several recipes in my repertoire.

I have a new use for canned corn that I am especially loving: succotash! I was thinking about potential appetizers for Thanksgiving because I stink at Thanksgiving appetizers. I get so caught up in prepping the main meal that I forget to serve food earlier in the day. This recipe for corn succotash flatbreads is a perfect pre-Thanksgiving snack and I promise it’s easy to prepare.

I gave this particular succotash recipe a bit of a southwestern twist, replacing lima beans with black beans, adding tomatoes and bell peppers, as well as adding a bit of cumin and fresh cilantro. The corn is perfect for Thanksgiving but the cumin and cilantro offer a different flavor than any of the classic Thanksgiving foods you’ll be scarfing down later in the day. Just make sure you don’t fill up on succotash flatbreads – save room for turkey!

In addition to today’s recipe, Libby’s is offering up a great giveaway! One lucky, randomly-selected commenter will win a KitchenAid® 6-Quart Slow Cooker With Glass Lid plus an assortment of Libby’s products. I used Libby’s corn and black beans in today’s recipe and LOVE that they have organic canned goods! To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post! Prize must be shipped to a U.S. address and comments need to be posted by Midnight PT on 11/26/14.

One last thing, Libby’s is hosting its Cansgiving sweepstakes through November 19. Participants must post a photo of what they are thankful for on Twitter, Instagram or Libby’s Table Facebook page using the hashtag #Cansgiving for the chance to win a $350 grocery gift card toward their Thanksgiving meals. You can view the full rules at www.getbacktothetable.com/cansgiving.

Get commenting to enter the giveaway and here is the recipe!

Southwestern Corn Succotash Flatbreads

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

An easy and delicious appetizer with a southwestern twist!

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup chopped red onion (about ¼ of an onion)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ of a red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 can corn
• ½ can black beans
• 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Fresh shredded parmesan cheese (optional)
• Chopped avocado (optional)
• Flatbread crackers

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, which has been pushed through a garlic press, stir, then add corn and black beans and heat for a few minutes.
3. Turn the heat up to medium-high, stir and cook for 1 minute to reduce some of the liquid.
4. Reduce heat to medium again then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and cumin. Stir and heat for about 2 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
6. Serve succotash on flatbread crackers, topping with fresh parmesan cheese or avocado if desired.
7. You can serve right away or store in fridge and serve cold.

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Each year I feel like a food blog failure because I don’t write any Thanksgiving posts until the week of Thanksgiving, when most of you have already turned off your computers to enjoy time with family and friends. And then I don’t even take photos of our Thanksgiving feast because, by the time I’m done cooking, I just want to eat!

This year, in an effort to get myself more organized and also provide you with some actual helpful ideas BEFORE the big day arrives, I’m going to put together a number of the dishes ahead of time and stick them in the freezer. My photos still won’t be of the final product, but at least you’ll get to see what the food looks like at some stage of the preparation!

Today I threw together the corn souffle. It’s so easy and fast. And decadent. It’s one of our friends’ family’s traditions (thanks, Jen and Mike!) that we happily adopted. Warning: this recipe contains lots of butter and sour cream and cheese. Which, in my book, is less of a warning and more of a signal of good things to come. 😉

Before we get to the recipe, side note: I’m putting the food I prepare this week into whatever dish the food will be baked in, wrapping the dish in plastic wrap and then putting the dish’s lid on top. I’ll take it all out of the freezer about 24 hours before cooking time and keep it in the fridge to thaw out. I will then bake as per recipe instructions on Thanksgiving. I’ve never done this before. I’m just assuming it will work!

Ha ha! I just copied and pasted the recipe into this post and realized I put the cheese on too soon! But, it’s already wrapped and in the freezer…soooo…I’ll just take the cheese off before I bake it and keep it to the side until it’s time to actually add the cheese. So, don’t do what I did if you try to do what I do. 😉

Thanksgiving Prep: Corn Souffle Recipe...and My Thanksgiving Freezer Plans

 

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From Marie Carroll, my friend Jen’s mother-in-law

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Side Dish, Thanksgiving

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can cream corn (16 oz)
• 1 can whole corn (16 oz), drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• ? cup melted butter (I don’t know the amount, I usually do ⅓ C)
• 1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
• 4 ounce grated swiss cheese (as you can see from my photo above, I usually just buy a few slices so I don’t have leftover swiss cheese)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except the cheese. Bake 35 mins uncovered 350F – do not overbake – should be moist.
2. Top with swiss and broil until cheese is golden brown.

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It’s rainy and cold here in the Bay Area. I have a sneaking suspicion it’s a lot colder elsewhere, too. So how about some smoky, warm, cozy corn chowder?

This recipe is from my friend Adrianne’s mom. (Adrianne just had a baby! Welcome to the world, Baby Claire!) Adrianne is an excellent cook – every recipe or cooking advice she’s given me has always been spot on. This recipe is no exception. It’s a fairly straightforward crock pot recipe. The bacon gives it a nice salty and smoky flavor. And, despite the fact it contains half & half AND cheese, the soup is not too thick, but instead has a great consistency.

I have a few other corn chowder recipes posted at this link from a Call for Recipes I did ages ago, in case you feel like shopping around for more corny recipes.

Corn Chowder

 

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From Adrianne Campbell’s Mom

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish, Soup

Ingredients

• 2 small onions, chopped
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 celery stalks,chopped
• 2 potatoes, chopped (Jane note: I leave the skins on, but you can peel them if you like)
• 4 cups corn (frozen or canned)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• *****************************
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon. salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1½ cups cream or half n’ half
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Cook onions, bacon & celery, put in slow cooker. Add potatoes, corn, broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Take bay leaf out and throw away. On the stove top, melt butter, add the flour so it makes a paste. Cook until light brown. Slowly add the cream to the paste, heat until it thickens. DO NOT BOIL! Move it from the heat, add the cheese and mix until melted. Add this mixture to the slow cooker mixture. Stir well and serve.

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