What’s Going on Today: Spending a week in Cooperstown, trip to the farmer’s market, morning at the lake.
Naptime Goals: Shuck corn for boiling, spend time in the garden reading.
Tonight’s Menu: Grilled corn, grilled sausage, tomatoes with cucumbers.
Parenting Lesson of the Day: Ironically, children seem to sleep better when they’re on vacation.

Growing up in the heart of upstate NY corn country has made me a bit of a corn snob. I refuse to eat corn that is shrink-wrapped in the grocery store or, likewise, is sold in cans filled with wet goo. I like my ears fresh off the stalk, or not at all. For six weeks each year I eat it practically every night and still find myself wishing the season would never end. I can’t remember a summer I haven’t had it, and hope I never do.

I am in Cooperstown on vacation right now and, as you’ll see, I’ve been snapping up corn at the farmer’s market left and right. The corn in this region is so sweet and tasty this year it could almost be served for dessert. There are two ways I like to cook corn and I’ve filmed them both here. The boiling method is easy and delivers guaranteed results. The grilling method is slightly more involved, but gives each ear a slightly smokey caramelized flavor I find irresistible.

Since many hands make light work I’ve been spending less time cooking dinner during my visit. Instead, my parents and I split responsibilities, each working on one portion of the meal. Corn is great to be in charge of because it barely requires any attention. Even during naptime the most work I put into it is shucking the stalks or putting them in water to soak. The rest of my free time is spent catching up with friends and family and enjoying the garden. Which is exactly what summer vacation should be.

Corn, Two Ways

Boiling Corn: Shuck the ears of corn and remove all the silk. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook for 7 minutes. Start timing the cooking AFTER the water has returned to a boil. Remove from pot with a pair of tongs and serve hot with lots of butter.

Grilling Corn: Remove silk from the tips of corn. Fill a large pot or sink basin with cool water and soak corn for 20-30 minutes. Heat a grill to medium flame. Remove the corn from the water and shake the excess water off, but don’t dry it with a towel. Place wet corn on the grill and turn it occasionally for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pull off husks and serve hot with lots of butter.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Ideas: Flavored butters are delicious with corn. Alternatively, take the corn off the stalk and use it for corn salad.
Naptime Stopwatch: The boiling method takes approximately 20 minutes from start to finish (including shucking time) and the grilling method takes 40 minutes (including soaking time).
Naptime Reviews: We like the grilling method for the added flavor, but the boiling method works beautifully on days when we don’t turn on the grill.

What’s Going on Today: Errands! Library, dry cleaner, playground break (wearing a purple tutu of course.)
Naptime Goals: Laundry, Carrot Souffle, Peppermint Patty Brownies.
Tonight’s Dinner: Uncle Will’s Ribs, Souffle, Bread, Brownies for dessert.
Parenting Lesson of the Day: Sometimes it’s a good idea to let them pick out their own outfits, sometimes it’s not.

I’ve been on a bit of a brownie kick lately. I’m not sure why, but I guess one doesn’t really need an excuse to bake brownies. They are perfect in both winter and summer, served warm or chilled. On occasion I’ve been known to swirl in caramel, cream cheese or jam, and other times I’ve added espresso powder and chocolate chips. This week I decided to top them with a layer of peppermint icing. I’ve always loved the flavors of chocolate and mint together and this brownie is one it’s best iterations.

I call these Peppermint Patty Brownies for the obvious reason, they taste just like my favorite York, only a million times better. Each bite brings with it a deep chocolate taste and icy mint chill that’s decadent and refreshing all at once. I made these the other day mostly for fun. You know I like to always have a sweet nibble around the house and these brownies just happened to be what I was craving that day.

Baking the brownies during my daughter’s naptime was a snap. Since they shouldn’t be frosted until completely cooled, I made the peppermint and chocolate icings while the brownies were baking and kept them in the fridge until later that afternoon. The brownies had cooled by then and I frosted them while the ribs were on the grill. Thankfully my daughter was deeply involved in her doodling while I did this, lest she have spotted me and insisted on licking the spatula and ruining her dinner. I introduced them after she cleaned her plate and we all enjoyed our fun family dessert.

Peppermint Patty Brownies

2	sticks unsalted butter, melted
6 oz.	bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4	eggs
2 c.	sugar
2 t.	pure vanilla extract
2 T.	cocoa powder
1 t.	baking powder
1 t.	salt
1 ¼ c.	all-purpose flour

For the icing:

2 ½ c.	confectioner’s sugar
3 T.	milk
¾ t.	peppermint extract

For the chocolate topping:

1 ½ c.	semisweet chocolate chips
½	stick (4 T.) unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Melt butter and chocolate together. I use the microwave, heating it in short intervals so the butter doesn’t explode. Mix together until fully combined. Cool slightly.
3. Beat together eggs, vanilla, sugar and cocoa powder in a mixer until combined. Add chocolate mixer, beat until just combined.
4. Finally, add flour, baking powder and salt to the chocolate mixture and mix until the batter is totally incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl to make sure it all comes together.
5. Pour batter into butter 13×9 baking pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until knife inserted in the batter comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before icing.
6. To make the mint icing: whisk together confectioner’s sugar, milk and mint extract until completely smooth. Spread a thin layer on top of the cooled brownies.
7. To make the chocolate topping: Melt chocolate chips and butter in a microwave until chocolate is melted. Swirl together with a wooden spoon and allow to cool slightly. Spread it on top of the mint icing. Cut brownies into squares and serve.

Since chocolate-mint are often considered holiday flavors it would be fun to sprinkle these with red, white and green candies and serve them at Christmas parties. Alternatively, leave the brownies in the pan, add some candles and serve them as a birthday cake.

Making the batter takes about 15 minutes. Making the icing and chocolate topping takes about 10 minutes.

If you don’t like mint these are not the brownies for you. If you do like mint, you will love these.

• Bread & Desserts, Homemade Gifts & Bake Sales, Potlucks & New Parents
• Chocolate, Peppermint

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