Growing up in the country I ate my fair share of “fresh from the garden” vegetables.

My Mom, a single parent, worked hard to put food on the table.  During the summer months,  after a full night’s work in a cotton mill, she came home every morning to work and care for a large vegetable garden.

I remember those early mornings, as clear as if it were yesterday.  The fresh tilled soil was soft and warm to my bare feet.  I followed my mom from one row to the next as she tended seedlings, barely peeping above their sodded blanket.

This would replay day after day throughout the hot summer until our garden yielded the harvest that would feed us through the winter.

Life was not easy for my Mom.  She had to work hard for everything life gave her.  She tackled it all with determination and a strong faith in God.  I can remember her tears during the hardest of times but I never saw my mother give up.

I loved seeing my mom happy and she always seemed the happiest when she was cooking in her kitchen or working in her garden.  We lived a simple life and ate simple foods.  One of my favorites dishes, she prepared was fresh corn cut off the cob and fried in a pan.  Sometimes, when we had it, she would fry bacon first and use its drippings to season the corn. Other times when bacon was scarce (which was often) she used fresh butter to season the pot.

Today, in my own kitchen, I continue to cook my mom’s dishes.   During those times I feel ever so close to her.  I sense her presence, her smile and the unconditional love she always gave freely.

This past Sunday I prepared her dish of simply fried corn.  Hope you enjoy this simple but delicious recipe.

Simply Fried Corn

Okay, first things first!   Shuck and remove silk.

Cut corn off the cob and be sure to scrape cob with your knife in order to get all of that sweet milk.  Now’s the perfect time to pick through the kernels and remove any stray “silks”.  Put corn into frying pan.

Add sugar and butter.

Add water, salt and pepper.

Bring corn to a slow boil, cover and turn heat to low.  Simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the water has cooked out.

The finished product creamy, sweet and savory all in the same dish.

This dish is delicious served with fresh sliced tomatoes and homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Simply Fried Corn

Ingredients:

• 4 Ears of Corn
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• ½ Stick of Butter
• ¼ Cup Water
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Salt

Directions: 

• Shuck and clean ears of corn.
• Cut corn off the cob with a sharp knife.
• Be sure to scrape cob in order to get all of the corn’s “sweet-milk”.
• Pour corn into a small frying pan; add sugar, butter, water, salt and pepper.
• Bring corn to a slow boil over medium heat. Be sure to stir to keep from sticking.
• Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes.