Skillet Corn With Basil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
½ cup thinly sliced green onions (scallions), white and light-green parts
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 each of a small red bell pepper and a small green bell pepper, diced small or minced
Kosher or sea salt
3½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 7 to 8 medium ears), plus any corn “milk”* (24oz frozen corn, thawed and drained and 1t each of water & milk)
2 tablespoons water
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (Gourmet Garden's Basil Stir in Paste to taste. Start with 1t and go from there)
Freshly ground black pepper

*To cut the kernels from an ear of corn, stand a shucked ear of corn, tip end up, firmly on a cutting board (or inside a shallow bowl if using a smaller cutting board). Using a sharp knife and a sawing motion, slice the kernels from the ear, removing a few rows at a time. Be careful not to include the fibrous base of the kernels or cut into the woody core. Once you’ve removed all the kernels, use the back of the knife to scrape the ear and extract a few teaspoons of corn “milk”.

Heat half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions, the red pepper flakes, bell peppers, and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about three minutes.
Add the remaining butter and the corn along with any corn “milk”. Season with a good pinch of salt, and increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the corn is tender and beginning to caramelize, about 4 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the water and stir to scrape up the caramelized corn sugars from the bottom of the pan. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir in the basil (basil paste) and plenty of black pepper. Taste for salt. Serve warm.

Original recipe and picture from piedmontese.com

Favorite Baked Beans

Ingredients
1/2lb ground beef
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (1/2 each of a red and green bell pepper, minced)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/4 TO 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons BBQ sauce 
2 tablespoons ketchup 
1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
1 tablespoon brown sugar 
2 (22 ounce) cans baked beans (I love Bush’s Grillin’ Beans for this recipe)
2 slices bacon, for topping (optional)

Instructions 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Brown and drain ground beef, set aside
2. Heat a large (oven safe, if you don’t want to transfer) skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until it’s brown and crisp and most of the fat is rendered.
3. Stir in the onion, pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until everything softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced bell peppers, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar until combined.
4. Stir baked beans directly from the can. Stir in ground beef. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn off the heat. I suggest tasting the beans here and adding more salt, pepper or heat if desired. If you'd like, you can lay a few strips of bacon on top of the beans here too!
5. Place the skillet (or transfer to an oven-safe dish) in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until bubbly and syrupy. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Crockpot cooking: Use a skillet for steps 1-3, pour beans into the crockpot, stir in skillet contents and ground beef. Set crockpot on low for a few hours, stir occasionally. Check flavor when stirring and adjust as needed.

You can make these ahead of time - cook them in the skillet then let cook to room temperature and cover, placing in the fridge. Bake the next day (or whenever you’re ready!).

These also freeze well!
Original recipe and picture from howsweeteats.com