Roasted Corn Pico De Gallo, Or A Battle Of The Elements

Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: June 8, 2023

Jalapeno

You might’ve guessed that I have quite an affinity for tart foods, given my blog name and all. But unbeknownst to you, this “like” is actually superseded quite a bit by my love for all things spicy. It’s part of my heritage. My family comes from Sichuan, a province in China famous for its spicy women (heh, it would be up to Chris to say whether or not this is true), Sichuan peppercorn, and such delights as spicy fried chicken bits, meat/seafood boiled in spicy broth, spicy noodles, mapo style tofu, cold spicy tripe, and the ultimate, Chongqing hot pot (the red side).

When you think about it, preparing spicy food, just like eating it, requires a certain amount of… physical endurance. One of my favorite cuisines is Mexican food, and I have to fortify myself, mentally, before commencing the process of prepping. The ingredients have such interesting(ly painful) defense mechanisms to avoid being eaten. Onions make your eyes water, limes infiltrate breaches such as hangnails and papercuts, and jalapeno, well, let’s just say my fingers are still ringing from the memory of contact.

Jalapeno
Jalapeno
Jalapeno

I was originally intending to make this recipe since we had a couple (gorgeous) ears of corn lying around, but that idea never took off. The topping however did.



I was particularly intrigued by the idea of baking corn until it caramelized, sweetened, and became slightly tacky. So, with a few adjustments, I ended up making what became a roasted corn pico de gallo, a fresh salsa filled with the usual suspects: red onion, cilantro, lime juice, tomato, and jalapeno. If you like heat, I would recommend using the entire jalapeno, including the seeds, but it’s a move not for the faint of heart. Each mouthful is charged with flavor. But it’s good, it’s really good, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll set it aside and let the flavors mingle for a bit. Then start topping.

Jalapeno

CORN PICO DE GALLO

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

  • 3 fresh ears of corn or 2 cups of frozen corn, defrosted
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • juice from 2 limes
  • 1 jalapeno, destemmed and finely chopped
  • 1 medium tomato
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Toss the corn with oil, salt, and pepper, and spread it evenly on the sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes until the corn turns a golden brown and blisters and pops (and caramelizes!).

Combine the red onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, tomato, and sugar in a bowl.

When the corn is ready, let it cool, then toss it in the bowl. Let it sit for about half an hour so the flavors can combine.





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Bourbon Biscoff Blondies

Christiana George

Last week I was so busy putting together my daughter’s birthday party and getting the house ready for my in-laws who were coming into town, I didn’t have time to share these lovelies.  Now of course, I have to stare at this drool worthy photo and remember how insanely delicious these Bourbon Biscoff Blondies were. Not only are they fabulous alone, but they are even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and my easy Bourbon Caramel Sauce.  So if you want to make your father something special for Father’s Day this year, try these.  He’ll love you for it.

I just can’t get enough of Biscoff and Bourbon.  This time I even added in some pecans to the mix.

I did not hold back on the bourbon.  I went for a full 1/4 cup.  You could definitely smell the booze.  The batter was still pretty thick, so I wasn’t too concerned about the blondies baking properly.



In fact, they baked beautifully.  You could still smell the booze, but you could also smell the Biscoff and chocolate chips.

I did attempt to cut the bars while they were still slightly warm, but it was difficult to do without them breaking apart.  So before continuing, I placed them in the fridge for about 20 minutes, then I finished cutting them.  That way I had much cleaner cuts.

Now, you could eat them plain, just like this, or you can make them extra special.  Grab a 1/4 cup of caramel topping and mix in a teaspoon of bourbon.

Then warm up you slice of blondie in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and pour a little or a lot of Bourbon Caramel Sauce over the top.  It’s life changing, trust me.

This ooey, gooey mess is good to the last drop.  You can taste all the flavors, the bourbon, the biscoff, and the chocolate chips.  Add to that the caramel and the crunch of pecans.  It’s flavor overload for the taste-buds.  I was kind enough to share these with my neighbors.  They rarely say no to my treats.  I know my husband would like me to make some more for him on Father’s Day.  I think he deserves them!

Bourbon Biscoff Blondies

by The Sweet Chick



Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert snack biscoff bourbon whiskey chocolate chips pecans Father’s Day blondies bars American

Ingredients (16 bars)

For the blondies

  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
  • 1/2 cup Biscoff spread
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the sauce

  • 1/4 cup caramel sauce
  • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

Instructions

For the blondies



Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the cup of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Place the melted butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer bowl and mix until combined.

Then add in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, bourbon and Biscoff. Mix on low speed until smooth.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The batter will be very thick. Do not over mix, or the blondies will turn out hard.

Lastly, mix the remaining tablespoon of flour with the chocolate chips and add them to the mixer bowl along with the pecans. Mix until evenly distributed.

Spoon the batter into the lined baking dish. Bake for 25-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. The blondies may appear soft, but they will set up as they cool.

Allow the blondies to cool completely, about 3 hours. You can place them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to speed up the process.



Once cooled, gently lift the foil out of the pan, place the blondies on a cutting board and cut into squares.

For the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the caramel and the bourbon. When ready to serve drizzle some over a blondie square. Vanilla ice cream is optional.

Notes

Blondies can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.



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