“Squash” comes from an American Indian word meaning “eaten raw or uncooked.” While Native Americans may have enjoyed squash this way, today we prefer ours cooked. Here are recipes featuring fast-growing summer squash, which unlike winter squash, has a tender outer rind.

Thousands of years ago, Native Americans used special cultivation techniques to transform a type of wild grass, teosinte, into a domesticated grain they called maize. More commonly known as corn, this versatile grain can be eaten fresh or dried and safely stored for months. In recent years, corn’s uses have expanded from being a staple food for Americans and their livestock to serving as a component of ethanol-based fuel. Here are delicious ways to enjoy this versatile vegetable!

From our Readers:

Corn Oysters

Megan Theide, Painter, Virginia

Ingredients:

	2 cups fresh corn kernels (or thawed frozen ones)
	¼ cup milk
	1⁄3 cup flour
	1 egg
	½ t each salt & pepper
	2 T each butter & vegetable oil

Directions: Mix corn with milk, flour, egg and seasonings in a small bowl. Heat butter and oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Drop corn mixture by spoonfuls into skillet, cooking 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels before serving hot. 

From our Readers:

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad

Debbie Day, Catlett, Virginia

Ingredients:

	2 ears fresh corn
	1 lime, juiced
	3 t olive oil
	1 T honey
	1 minced clove garlic
	Salt & pepper to taste
	Dash cayenne pepper
	1 ripe avocado, diced
	1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
	2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions: Remove husks from corn. Grill or broil for about 10 minutes. Cut corn off cob with a knife, then scrape cob to get the juices. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, oil and seasonings. Gently mix with corn, avocado, tomatoes and cilantro. Let stand 10 minutes so flavors can blend.

From our Readers:

Southern Corn Pudding

Jean Isbell, Glen Allen, Virginia

Ingredients:

	3 T melted butter
	3 T flour
	2 T sugar or honey
	3 eggs
	1½ cups milk
	15-oz. can yellow corn, drained (or 2 cups fresh, cut off ear)

Directions: Blend and cook the first five ingredients in a saucepan until thick. Stir in corn, then pour in a 9"x 5" greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until slightly browned.

From our Readers:

Easy Mexican Corn Side Dish

Jeri Eroh, Powhatan, Virginia

Ingredients:

	8 boiled or grilled ears of corn
	7 T low-fat or regular mayonnaise
	½ cup Parmesan cheese
	½ t chili powder
	Salt & pepper to taste
	Lime juice & wedges to taste

Directions: Scrape kernels from corn cobs by inverting a small bowl in the center of a larger bowl. Hold each cob against the upturned smaller bowl and use a sharp knife to cut the corn, rotating as necessary as the corn falls off into the larger bowl. Add remaining ingredients, seasoning with salt, pepper and lime juice. Mix well and serve with additional lime wedges.

From our Readers:

Italian Corn Casserole

Marianne Hudar, Kingstowne, Virginia

Ingredients:

	3⁄4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
	15-oz. can yellow corn, drained
	11-oz. can white shoepeg corn, drained
	14.5-oz. can tomatoes with basil & oregano, drained
	1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
	1 cup grated Asiago cheese
	½ cup chopped red onion
	½ cup sour cream
	1 t each dried basil, oregano & salt
	1 cup crushed saltine crackers
	½ cup butter, melted

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9"x13" baking dish. Sprinkle bottom with ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Combine remaining bread crumbs with vegetables, cheeses, onion, sour cream and seasonings in a large bowl. Spoon into baking dish and top with crushed crackers. Drizzle butter evenly over and bake for 30 minutes. 

Send us your recipes! Your recipe contributions featuring these seasonal ingredients are welcomed for use in upcoming issues: corn, pork, winter squash and Virginia seafood/shellfish. Please email submissions to [email protected] or mail them to Commonwealth Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340.

All published submissions will receive a $20 Walmart gift card.