I feel like the summer just flew by.  Not in a bad way and not really in a good way either.  I woke up this morning and realized that tomorrow the last school in the district starts.  I am starting Liam’s preschool schedule this week and I’m pretty darn excited. He’s just thrilled to have a no-holds barred pass at the crayons and paper while I am over the moon for the opportunity to teach him more and more.

Now that Fall is coming, I’m also excited that my shelves are filled with home-canned produce for me to pick from once the bounty from the garden is gone. There are dozens of jars of canned corn in my basement. Corn must be canned in a pressure cooker and for this reason, I only just learned to do it last year.  I was still just as anxious over the process this year and I was last.  Something about scalding hot steam… anyway, canned corn is delicious and so much more convient than thawing out a quart sized block of frozen corn. One caveat though, home canned corn does not have the same florescent color as those commerically done.  The taste is the same, but the color is not so don’t be put off if you choose to try this method on your own.

I adapted this recipe from A Farmgirl Dabbles and am very pleased with the result.  Lower fat and sodium content and a much less guilty side dish to go along with those end of summer grilled meals. It does keep well in the fridge for a few days, and it’s a wonderful comfort food!

Scalloped Corn

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 1/2 c 2% milk
• 1 c. shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 c. diced peppers (hot or sweet, which ever strikes your fancy)
• 2 pints canned corn
• salt and pepper to taste